Kerry GAA Discussion Thread Mod Warning Post #4167

Kerrydude1981

Mark Foley not surprised by how far the Kingdom have come
Friday, April 29, 2016

By John Harrington

The fine performances of the Kerry hurlers in Division 1B of the Allianz Hurling League has been one of the GAA stories of the year so far, but team-trainer Mark Foley saw the script coming.

He had the inside track on just how much potential there was in Kerry hurling having helped Ciaran Carey lead the Lixnaw club to the 2014 Kerry Championship. And he saw no reason why he and his former Limerick team-mate could not have success on a grander scale when they agreed to take charge of the Kerry team for the 2015 season.

The common perception was that they had a tough act to follow after the departing manager Eamonn Kelly got Kerry promoted to Division 1B and win the Christy Ring Cup in 2015, but instead they have raised the team’s standards to an even higher level. Others might be surprised, but Foley isn’t.

“Ah, not really, no,” he says. “I'd know most of the players because I was involved at club level there for the last couple of years so I'm happy enough with the raw material that was there and they all the basic skills and it's not as if Ciaran and myself and the lads went in and waved a magic wand, Eamonn Kelly did great work with them last year and it's just getting them up another notch. The raw material, we felt, was there and just to improve on what they were doing last year and I think they've improved a bit alright but that's as much to do with the teams they're playing against as anything we're doing.

“To be honest with you, I felt that they were going to kick on because I'd have known the players. It wasn't as if I was going from a situation where I didn't know the players and didn't know what they were capable of. We felt that they were going to kick on. The stiffer the competition, even though there was going to be tough days and difficult days, in the greater scheme of things we felt that it was going to benefit them as long as we could maintain our status in 1B, which we did.”


Kerry have made such impressive strides in the past couple of years that no-one is wondering any more when their fortunes when fade, instead the question is just how good can they get? They’ve gotten this far despite picking all of their players from eight clubs in a small pocket of north Kerry, and Foley believes there will always be a limit to their ambitions unless the game can put down roots in the rest of the county.

“Well, I suppose given their resources, they'd probably have to expand their resources to be honest about it,” he says. "Offaly won an All-Ireland with a small playing population base so it is possible but, long-term, it would be stretching it to say that it can be maintained over a long period. You'd probably expect teams with Kerry's resources to come with a good bunch of players every so often but not to be able to stay at that level full-time.

“To be able to maintain and improve what they're at and, long-term, be able to compete with the teams in Munster the playing resources would have to be strengthened. But, to be fair, the Kerry county board are working hard at trying to increase the amount of players playing hurling in Kerry. There's a huge work going on in Tralee at underage at the minute but it's going to be probably 10 years' time before the results of that will be seen.”

In the short-term, they can continue to make progress this year by having a good cut off the Leinster Championship. They play Carlow in the first game of the round robin in Tralee tomorrow, and will then play Westmeath and Offaly in their other two matches of that phase of the competition. If they finish in the top two of the round robin group, then they go on to play either Laois or Galway in the Leinster quarter-final.

The presence of Kerry in the Leinster Championship has raised some eye-brows and some traditionalists might prefer them to try their luck in Munster, but Foley is convinced this is the right place for them to improve in the short-term at least.

“At the moment I feel it's the right balance,” he says. “But if you have a situation where Kerry are in Division 1B next year and taking on these teams, or in two years' time or in three years' time and taking on stronger teams…we had Clare in our group this year and Limerick, we played well against Limerick, we did very poorly against Clare, we did poorly against Wexford. But give a situation in three or four years' time where you have that kind of quality of opposition and you're competing with them and beating them the odd time, well then you're in a situation to be able to maybe look at going into Munster but I think at the moment it's a perfect fit for Kerry, where they are at the minute.”


Foley’s focus is Kerry hurling right now, but his heart will always be in Limerick. Like every Shannonsider he was stung by their heavy defeat to Waterford in the Allianz Hurling League semi-final, but he still feels they can mount a challenge for the Liam MacCarthy Cup this year.

“Oh they can, yeah. They've plenty of time. They're not out until the end of June I think. That's a nice bit away. There's a couple of rounds on in the club championship in the next three weeks. Ah they can, yeah. Obviously things will have to improve. The talent is there, it's just a matter of putting it together. Just a matter of putting it together really and getting a bit of confidence and momentum and I think of all the counties out there, Limerick are a team that thrive on momentum. So the opposite to that, they can be very poor when they have no momentum but when they get on a run it can be very difficult to stop.”

Limerick are going through a transitionary phase at the moment as they blend in more and more players from last year’s All-Ireland winning U-21 team. And Foley believes adapting to the rigours of senior hurling is not something you do easily, no matter how talented you are.

“To be fair, Limerick won an under-21 All-Ireland last year which is great like but it's a totally different ball game,” he says. “I don't know how many played against Waterford, was it seven or eight? It doesn't happen overnight and that seven or eight aren't fellas that have been there over the last year or two, like Ronan Lynch, he's only literally into the scene since Na Piarsaigh won an All-Ireland.

“A couple of more lads it's their first year, Tom Morrissey, it's his first year so it's very difficult to go straight in at that level and produce. Even the likes of Clare now, a lot of their players that have won under-21s, I know they won the All-Ireland a couple of years ago out of the blue but a lot of their players are only finding their feet this year now.

“It's kind of stacked against you to try and come in and do it straight away, there's very few teams. Cork did it in '99, Clare did it a couple of years ago. You'll find with a lot of the Kilkenny lads, they were 23/24 before they started breaking in but the Limerick guys, they're going to be looking for them to do it a little bit earlier. It's a big ask and I think it'll be tough for them but if they hit form they're definitely capable of doing something.”

http://www.gaa.ie/hurling/news/mark-foley-not-surprised-how-far-the-kingdom-have-come/

An Ciarraioch

Not the greatest first-half by the hurlers, but most importantly, they were far more clinical with their chances, and they fully deserved the comfortable margin by the finish. Not sure whether Westmeath currently beating Offaly suits us, but as long as they olay to the standards they've set themselves this spring, they're well capable of a second win.

An Ciarraioch

Hmmm, Westmeath 1-17 0-8 Offaly - this is starting to look ominous!

An Ciarraioch

Final scores:

Kerry 2-19 0-17 Carlow
Westmeath 2-22 1-11 Offaly

Makes Saturday's game a real showdown.

Kerrydude1981

Thought our lads were a bit rusty yesterday in the first half,they weren't as sharp as the Laois game,but in the second half they improved they let the ball do the work and won handy enough in the end

Kerrydude1981

THERE’S just one change in the Kerry senior hurling team to play Westmeath this Saturday, from their game against Carlow last weekend.

Brendan O’Leary replaces Colum Harty in the half forward line for the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Round Robin Group, Round 2, at Tralee’s Austin Stack Park on Saturday next (3pm)

O’Leary replaced the injured Harty – who is named among the subs – early in the game against Carlow. Kerry will be hoping to continue in a winning vein but Westmeath are expected to provide a sterner test.



The team captained by Daniel Collins of Kilmoyley lines out as follows:

1. Aidan McCabe – Kilmoyley

2. Bryan Murphy – Causeway

3. Patrick Kelly – Clarecastle

4. Keith Carmody – Causeway

5. Jason Diggins – Causeway

6. Darren Dineen – St Brendans

7. Tom Murnane – Kilmoyley

8. John Griffin – Lixnaw

9. Daniel Collins (C) – Kilmoyley

10. Brendan O’Leary – Abbeydorney

11. Michael O’Leary – Abbeydorney

12. Shane Nolan- Crotta O’Neills

13. Jack Goulding – Ballyduff

14. Mikey Boyle – Ballyduff

15. John Egan – St Brendans

Fir Ionaid:

16 Martin Stackpoole Lixnaw

17 Brendan Brosnan Lixnaw

18 John Buckley Lixnaw

19 Tommy Casey Causeway

20 Paudie O’Connor Kilmoyley

21 Jordan Conway Crotta O’Neills

22 Dougie Fitzelle Kilmoyley

23 Colum Harty Causeway

24 Philip Lucid Ballyheigue

25 James O’Connor Abbeydorney

26 Brandon Barrett Causeway

DDC1990

So a few lads told they are not needed for the rest of the year.
Kieran O'Leary, Jack Sherwood, Pa Kilkenny (shock IMO), Aidan Walsh and Paul O'Sullivan.

Pity that O'Leary couldn't come back from the injury. Sherwood was never a viable option for me. Didn't see enough of Walsh and O'Sullivan.

Kilkenny is a bit shocking, considering he's been around for a while and done well at times. It's not as if we have backs growing on trees.

TBH, if Tommy was still with the panel, I wouldn't have been surprised to see his name down with these lads.


EDIT: Also just on the hurling team. Is the number 26. Brandon Barrett the same guy who plays football for Ardfert and won an All Ireland Minor last year, or is this another "Johnny Buckley" moment. It's not like it's a very common name.

cms88

DDC1990 wrote: »

So a few lads told they are not needed for the rest of the year.
Kieran O'Leary, Jack Sherwood, Pa Kilkenny (shock IMO), Aidan Walsh and Paul O'Sullivan.

Pity that O'Leary couldn't come back from the injury. Sherwood was never a viable option for me. Didn't see enough of Walsh and O'Sullivan.

Kilkenny is a bit shocking, considering he's been around for a while and done well at times. It's not as if we have backs growing on trees.

TBH, if Tommy was still with the panel, I wouldn't have been surprised to see his name down with these lads.


EDIT: Also just on the hurling team. Is the number 26. Brandon Barrett the same guy who plays football for Ardfert and won an All Ireland Minor last year, or is this another "Johnny Buckley" moment. It's not like it's a very common name.

Re O Leary. the only thing that surprises me about this is that it didn't happen sooner. Hes been in and around the panel for the best part of 10 years and bar the point against Mayo two years ago has done nothing. Has been given plenty of chances and has never been able to hold down a pilace. Only for Crokes nominating him to be captain two years ago i think this would have happened sooner

jimmytwotimes 2013

DDC1990 wrote: »

EDIT: Also just on the hurling team. Is the number 26. Brandon Barrett the same guy who plays football for Ardfert and won an All Ireland Minor last year, or is this another "Johnny Buckley" moment. It's not like it's a very common name.

That's the same fella. Obviously played football with ardfert as causeway have no football team

Fear Ciarrai

jimmytwotimes 2013 wrote:

That's the same fella. Obviously played football with ardfert as causeway have no football team

Would I be right saying his dad is from Tipperary?

Kerrydude1981

Was watching the highlights of the minor football game between Limerick and Waterford,the Limerick team are managed by Jerry O Sullivan

He looks a lot like the Jerry O Sullivan from Firies that used play for the Kerry hurlers during the 90s

http://inpho.ie/media/CrbM57YW3-rml_Nwqa2DaQ..a

jimmytwotimes 2013

Fear Ciarrai wrote: »

Would I be right saying his dad is from Tipperary?

Don't know that , sorry

keane2097

I remember thinking Kieran O'Leary was reasonably good in 2011, but yeah has had a good few chances and probably time to pass the torch.

DDC1990

Kerry have started the 2nd half really poorly.

1-11 to 1-9 to Westmeath.

They were 4 points up at HT. Big fight on our hands.

deuces wild

Fear Ciarrai wrote: »

Would I be right saying his dad is from Tipperary?

No ,Kerry bred through and through.

DDC1990

Kerry getting hammered.

6 points down now.

1-18 to 1-11

Awful second half.

DDC1990

Mikey Boyle sent off in the last second of the game with the game out of hand.

What unfathomable stupidity with Offaly to come.

Makes a difficult job even tougher next week.

Kerrydude1981

Very disappointing today,we started ok but after that Westmeath got on top and fully deserved their win,they played some lovely stuff,moved the ball well and hassled and closed down our lads all day long,

Our lads peaked against Laois but since that game the performance last week and this week have been away below that,maybe the break between the Laois game and the Carlow match has effected them,

Now we are heading to Offaly looking for a win against them,its going to be a tough one.

Kerrydude1981

Kerry Senior Hurling Team vs Offaly

Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Round Robin Group - Round 3

The Kerry Senior Hurling Team to play Offaly in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Round Robin Group, Round 3, at O’Connor Park, Tullamore on Sunday next (3pm) shows three changes in personnel and a number of positional changes from the side defeated by Westmeath in Round 2. Jordan Conway, Brandon Barrett and Philip Lucid come into the side in place of Mikey Boyle who is suspended, and the O’Leary brothers, Michael and Brendan.

The team captained by Daniel Collins of Kilmoyley lines out as follows:

1. Aidan McCabe Kilmoyley

2. Jason Diggins Causeway

3. Patrick Kelly Clarecastle

4. Bryan Murphy Causeway

5. Daniel Collins(C) Kilmoyley

6. Tom Murnane Kilmoyley

7. Keith Carmody Causeway

8. Darren Dineen St Brendans

9. John Griffin Lixnaw

10. Jack Goulding Ballyduff

11. Shane Nolan Crotta O’Neills

12. Jordan Conway Crotta O'Neills

13. John Egan St Brendans

14. Brandon Barrett Causeway

15. Philip Lucid Ballyheigue

Fir Ionaid:

16 Martin Stackpoole Lixnaw

17. Brendan Brosnan Lixnaw

18. John Buckley Lixnaw

19. Jordan Brick Kilmoyley

20. Tommy Casey Causeway

21. Paudie O’Connor Kilmoyley

22. Dougie Fitzelle Kilmoyley

23. Rory Horgan St Brendans

24. James O’Connor Abbeydorney

25. Michael O’Leary Abbeydorney

26. Brendan O’Leary Abbeydorney

Bainistíocht:

Bainisteoir: Ciaran Carey (Patrickswell)

Coach/Selector: Mark Foley (Adare)

Treanálaí: Damien Ryall (Abbeydorney)

Róghnoirí: James McCarthy (Kilmoyley), Michael Conway (Lixnaw)

Additional Players on Panel

Mikey Boyle Ballyduff - Susp

Colum Harty Causeway - Inj

Mike Milner Dr Crokes

Darragh Shanahan Kilmoyley

P J Keane Abbeydorney

Stephen Murphy Causeway

Fionán Horgan St Brendans

Joseph Diggins Causeway

cms88

Whats happened to Butler? I thought he was supposed to be playing? Seeing as they went to so much effort to get the rules changed

Kerrydude1981

cms88 wrote: »

Whats happened to Butler? I thought he was supposed to be playing? Seeing as they went to so much effort to get the rules changed

He was never on the panel this year,management decided to give the young lads coming up from minor a chance.

ixus

Looks like Jim has been reading this thread:

http://www.the42.ie/jim-mcguinness-joe-brolly-dublin-2781184-May2016/

ixus wrote: »

Twin Towers at full forward is what you need. With J O'D sniffing for broken ball & Gooch delivering. Other players need to be athletic around pitch.

You will tie in at least four Dub defenders to the full back line if you try this and reduce overlaps. It doesn't mean lobbing every ball in but leaves space around the 30/40.

Any signs of this being trialled at training before?

DDC1990

Hurlers just started in Offaly.

2 points to no score for Kerry

DDC1990

5 points to 3 to Kerry.

We've wasted a good few chances.

DDC1990

Offaly dominating the last 10 minutes.

Massive indiscipline and lots of handy frees to Offaly.

8 points to 5 to Offaly.

DDC1990

9 points each now.

DDC1990

11 - 9 Kerry

Stacks fighting back against S. Kerry (1-9 to 1-7)

Exciting games all round.

EDIT: Goal for Offaly 1-9 to 0-11

Half Time Score.

Mess in the FB line led to a goal for Dooley.

DDC1990

Extra Time down in South Kerry.

1-10 a piece, between SK and Stacks.

DDC1990

Kerry start well again.

0-13 to 1-9

An Ciarraioch

DDC1990 wrote: »

Kerry start well again.

0-13 to 1-9

Seems nip-and-tuck in Tullamore alright, would imagine we'd take the draw now, even with the slight lead! Edit - a two-point lead now.