Clare hurler Tony Kelly is pictured with the PwC GAA / GPA Player of the Month in Hurling for November award at Ballyea GAA Club in Ennis, Co. Clare.
By John Harrington
Tony Kelly has predicted the 2020 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final will be contested by Kilkenny and Galway.
His own Clare team were well-beaten by Limerick in the Munster SHC Quarter-Final, but Kelly has a slight fancy that Galway could edge out the Munster champions in Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final.
“Looking at Waterford and Kilkenny, I think it will be very close,” said Kelly, who was announced today as the PwC GAA/GPA Hurler of the Month for November.
“If I was to call it, I think Kilkenny just shading up. It’ll be interesting to see how Waterford and Galway shape up. Will this be Waterford’s third game in a row and likewise Galway as well. Limerick so far seem to be that bit ahead of everyone else.
“I know Waterford came within three or four points in the Munster final but you just felt that Limerick were comfortable in it even though it was tight.
“I said it from the outset that I fancied Kilkenny even before the season started but having seen what Galway have brought to it if I was to tip a winner I would probably say Galway.
“I think they’ve great balance in their team in terms of age profile, guys who are 31, 32 still hurling some of the best hurling like Joe Canning and David Burke.
“Their physical strength, I do they think they’ll be able to match Limerick’s physical strength and it’ll come down then to forward power and scoring power.
“I’m expecting two tight games. If I was to call it, I would go for Kilkenny on Saturday and I wouldn’t be surprised if the other one went to extra-time. We have had no extra-time game this year so I’m expecting one of them at some stage but just Galway by a point or two.”
Tony Kelly hopes that Peter Duggan will rejoin the Clare hurling panel in 2021.
Kelly has hailed Clare’s quarter-final conquerors, Waterford, as the most improved team in the country this year.
“They've definitely improved on last year,” said Kelly. “We only beat them a point below in Wash Park. They've a new approach. Lot of strength and conditioning work I'd say. They looked fit, they looked big, they looked strong.
“We all know their players from playing against them and playing with some of them in college as well. They're well able to hurl. I do think they'll be extremely dangerous the weekend as well for Kilkenny.
“They're hurling extremely well. They're the only team so far in the country to run Limerick close as well so they're definitely hurling well and better than they were last year.”
Kelly is still frustrated by Clare’s defeat to Waterford last weekend when his own contribution was diluted by an ankle ligament injury he suffered after just five minutes.
He believes the Banner County can challenge harder for honours next year with John Conlon and Colm Galvin fit again, and also hopes Peter Duggan will return home from his sojourn in Australia.
“When you reflect on it, you're probably frustrated and disappointed that you didn't get to Croke Park for an All-Ireland semi-final,." said Kelly.
“I suppose the positives out of it were that Brian (Lohan) and his management team got to blood new lads into the panel and giving them game time as well. From that point of view it is a positive.
“On the lads we're missing, you'd just be hoping to have them back next year. John will definitely be back, he was near enough.
“Colm is close enough to being fully fit as well, come January or February time. Then you're hoping that Peter Duggan gets sick of Australia and comes home.
“The old lockdown restrictions aren't helping our case to bring him home here especially when they aren't locked down out in Australia, so you'd be hoping he'd be coming home in the New Year as well.”
Tony Kelly is the top scorer in the 2020 All-Ireland SHC to date.
In the absence of Conlon and Duggan, Kelly took on more responsibility in the Clare attack and delivered in spades.
He’s currently the top scorer in the Championship by some distance with a personal tally of 1-53 from four matches.
Hurler of the Year and Young Hurler of the Year in 2013, he believes his form this year was the best he’s ever produced for the Banner.
“It was the best form I've showed,” admitted Kelly. “You're trying to come back next year with the same form or try to improve it, try to tweak it some bit, try to come back.
“I can't sing enough praises to the lads we have up front in terms work-rate. Often, the easiest bit of the puzzle is to put it over the bar. The hardest bit is winning a puckout or winning a break and things like that.
“As I reflect on it, it probably is the best hurling I've played for Clare, definitely.”