Kilkenny GAA Thread Part 2 **MOD NOTE POST 1***

dobbs2210

citykat wrote: »

Village will be in trouble when Jackie, Larks and Ruth call it a day.

Reality hasn't yet set in that the Village are already in big trouble. Larkin looked totally disinterested last night and they seem to have no real shape or plan on field which reflects badly on the management.

Michael Drennan was going through the motions and looks very unfit from what I could see last night.

Danesfort were full value for their victory last night. Had a really strong platform across their half backline and midfield area with some nice pace and running movement up front which the Village could not cope with.

Village have no forwards whatsoever. St. Martins could overturn them as they have a very good record against the Village.

Bonniedog

Was rooting through my programmes this morning and came across the one for Kilkenny v Dublin NHL, February 2008 which I was down for.

What is interesting, however, is that it was also the occasion of Kilkenny footballers first league game since the early 70s I think.

They were beaten by Waterford, but the sad thing I suppose is that there no team given in the programme.

danganabu

Bonniedog wrote: »

Was rooting through my programmes this morning and came across the one for Kilkenny v Dublin NHL, February 2008 which I was down for.

What is interesting, however, is that it was also the occasion of Kilkenny footballers first league game since the early 70s I think.

They were beaten by Waterford, but the sad thing I suppose is that there no team given in the programme.

Probably at the request of the 15 invloved.............i'm joking of course!

Bonniedog

danganabu wrote: »

Probably at the request of the 15 invloved.............i'm joking of course!

Now, now!

Actually looking at it again I see that while the programme allegedly covers both games that the football was on the Saturday in Freshford!

Martin567

Bonniedog wrote: »

Was rooting through my programmes this morning and came across the one for Kilkenny v Dublin NHL, February 2008 which I was down for.

What is interesting, however, is that it was also the occasion of Kilkenny footballers first league game since the early 70s I think.

They were beaten by Waterford, but the sad thing I suppose is that there no team given in the programme.

The bit in bold is definitely not correct. Kilkenny footballers played in the league all through the 80s and 90s.

They were never very good although they did win the odd game when Nicky Brennan was in charge sometime in the 90s.

Bonniedog

Martin567 wrote: »

The bit in bold is definitely not correct. Kilkenny footballers played in the league all through the 80s and 90s.

They were never very good although they did win the odd game when Nicky Brennan was in charge sometime in the 90s.

Apologies. I was confusing the league with the championship which they briefly returned to for 7/8 years in late 70s and early 80s.

I have vague memory of seeing a Kilkenny football match which could only have been as part of a double header with KK and Dublin in hurling. I know they were in same division as Dublin in early 70s, and it would have been around that time but wasn't against ourselves.

Martin567

There is a story told of Dublin playing Kilkenny in Div 4 of the NFL in Nowlan Park in about 1973. I'm not sure how much truth there is to it. It could be a tall tale!

This was back in the days when the first three games of the league were played in October/November. Apparently there was a big local hurling match on before the football. Some of the Dublin players came out on the pitch at half time in the hurling for a look at the conditions. They were pleasantly surprised to see a big crowd of about 7,000 or so there.

They went back to their dressing room. When they returned to the pitch about 15 minutes before the start of their match, there were only about 100 spectators left in the ground. Everyone else had left after the hurling!

I believe Dublin went on to win the All Ireland the following year.

danganabu

Martin567 wrote: »

There is a story told of Dublin playing Kilkenny in Div 4 of the NFL in Nowlan Park in about 1973. I'm not sure how much truth there is to it. It could be a tall tale!

Don't think there was even 4 divisons in the 70's and as far as I know, someone from Dublin may be able to clarify the lowest Dublin fell was to Division 2.

Martin567

danganabu wrote: »

Don't think there was even 4 divisons in the 70's and as far as I know, someone from Dublin may be able to clarify the lowest Dublin fell was to Division 2.

Well there were always 32 counties so they had to be organised in some manner. Kilkenny would have been at the lowest level whatever it might have been called!

Dublin definitely did play Kilkenny in the NFL in the early 70s although the above story is probably exaggerated.

Bonniedog

Martin567 wrote: »

There is a story told of Dublin playing Kilkenny in Div 4 of the NFL in Nowlan Park in about 1973. I'm not sure how much truth there is to it. It could be a tall tale!

This was back in the days when the first three games of the league were played in October/November. Apparently there was a big local hurling match on before the football. Some of the Dublin players came out on the pitch at half time in the hurling for a look at the conditions. They were pleasantly surprised to see a big crowd of about 7,000 or so there.

They went back to their dressing room. When they returned to the pitch about 15 minutes before the start of their match, there were only about 100 spectators left in the ground. Everyone else had left after the hurling!

I believe Dublin went on to win the All Ireland the following year.

Yes, they were both in Division 2B believe it or not, which was bizarre mixture of strong teams like Kildare - who had been in previous 3 Leinster finals I think - second tier counties like Dublin, and then likes of yourselves, Carlow, Waterford, Limerick, Clare. Leagues seemed to have been pretty arbitrary then.

(Just checked and both Dublin and Kildare had been relegated from top division to bottom the year before! Would be equivalent of Cavan and Roscommon being relegated to Division 4 this year. Probably some genius' idea to bring weaker counties on or something!)

Story about match in Nowlan Park is true. Apparently there was a club minor game, final I assume, on before and Heffo said he remembers thinking to himself that football must have been catching on! Nearly everyone left after the hurling and apparently the Kilkenny secretary (?) Paddy Grace offered Heffo the points without having to play!

Dublin were AI champions less than a year later.

blackcard

Bonniedog wrote: »

Martin567 wrote: »

There is a story told of Dublin playing Kilkenny in Div 4 of the NFL in Nowlan Park in about 1973. I'm not sure how much truth there is to it. It could be a tall tale!

This was back in the days when the first three games of the league were played in October/November. Apparently there was a big local hurling match on before the football. Some of the Dublin players came out on the pitch at half time in the hurling for a look at the conditions. They were pleasantly surprised to see a big crowd of about 7,000 or so there.

They went back to their dressing room. When they returned to the pitch about 15 minutes before the start of their match, there were only about 100 spectators left in the ground. Everyone else had left after the hurling!

I believe Dublin went on to win the All Ireland the following year.

Yes, they were both in Division 2B believe it or not, which was bizarre mixture of strong teams like Kildare - who had been in previous 3 Leinster finals I think - second tier counties like Dublin, and then likes of yourselves, Carlow, Waterford, Limerick, Clare. Leagues seemed to have been pretty arbitrary then.

(Just checked and both Dublin and Kildare had been relegated from top division to bottom the year before! Would be equivalent of Cavan and Roscommon being relegated to Division 4 this year. Probably some genius' idea to bring weaker counties on or something!)

Story about match in Nowlan Park is true. Apparently there was a club minor game, final I assume, on before and Heffo said he remembers thinking to himself that football must have been catching on! Nearly everyone left after the hurling and apparently the Kilkenny secretary (?) Paddy Grace offered Heffo the points without having to play!

Dublin were AI champions less than a year later.

I had heard that story before. Was it in a biography of Kevin Heffernan?

Bonniedog

Remember first hearing it in a Magill story they did on 70s teams years ago, but might well be in the book.

Cornerback1

Fixture details for next month's All-Ireland U21HC finals have been confirmed.

Thurles will once again host the finals with Kilkenny set to meet Limerick on Saturday, September 9th, following their respective victories over Derry and Galway at the Semple Stadium venue last weekend. Throw-in has been fixed for 3pm.

Meanwhile, Kerry and Wicklow will clash in the 'B' decider beforehand with throw-in time scheduled at 1pm.

Both games will be televised live by TG4.

 

Saturday 9 September

All-Ireland U21HC final
Kilkenny v Limerick, Thurles, 3pm - TG4

All-Ireland U21HC B final
Kerry v Wicklow, Thurles, 1pm - TG4

piuswal

April 13 2008 I saw KK beat London in football in Nowlan Park and the hurlers lose to Tippearay immediately afterwards.

Realt Dearg Sec

piuswal wrote: »

April 13 2008 I saw KK beat London in football in Nowlan Park and the hurlers lose to Tippearay immediately afterwards.

I remember that, London turned around and hammered is then in the summer, different team altogether playing.

Deise Vu

Here's another true story about Kilkenny footballers. I used to work in Kilkenny in the 80's and obviously spent many a Sunday afternoon in Nowlan Park watching matches (Ballyhale Shamrocks, in particular, were amazing to watch at that time). One Sunday, I can't remember the teams or the competition but some genius decided that the Kilkenny footballers would play a game after the Hurling.

It was bad enough to relegate a county football match behind club hurling (even if it did reflect the relative standings) but the tin hat was a tannoy announcement near the end of the hurling asking, if a certain individual was in the ground, would he go to the dressing room and bring his boots if he had them. Cue a huge jeer in the crowd.

It's almost like someone was trying to sabotage the football.:rolleyes:

Hawkeye6

What is really irritating is the number of Kilkenny people who slag off Kilkenny football. Kilkenny Under-21 hurlers beat Derry Under-21 hurlers in the All-Ireland Semi-Final by 52 points. I for one, felt we should have sowed it into them even more!! They are the best team in Ulster. Imagine what we could have done to any of the other 8 counties in Ulster. Give our young hurlers a shot at them I say.

Yes, that is shocking stuff to post, But isn’t it strange that when our Minor footballers were destroyed by Wexford over 12 months ago, it was Kilkenny that were wrong and at fault because of the perceived lip service we give to football. Yet, when we do it to another county in hurling, another county that has at least 8 counties worse than them, it is the system and structure that is at fault. Has any journalist or pundit come out and said that it is a disgrace the way Derry, not to mention the other 8 Ulster counties are treating our national game of hurling? Of course not! Yet, Kilkenny were ridiculed when it was football.

Had Derry an option? Of course they did. There is an Under-21B final as the curtain raiser to the A Final. Kerry v Wicklow. They didn’t have any issue about hiding from the might if Kilkenny in hurling. This hammering was Derry’s choice. If they took some of the resources away from football and put them into hurling, the national game, it would be better. Likewise all the other Ulster counties who completely hid.

In Kilkenny, we should be proud of our football because we make a way better effort, albeit far short of what we should do and are capable of, than many other counties do for hurling. This weekend, the senior county final is on between Mullinavat and Railyard. Hopefully it will be a good competitive game.

Let’s not feel bad about slamming Derry instead of the structure or the system. Maybe if they get enough of it, them and the other Ulster counties will stop playing lip service to hurling. If enough of us go at them, maybe the dog lazy journalists and pundits will look at the real issues behind the weaknesses in the spread and devotion to our national game, because I’m really tired of people looking at the system and structures every time a team gets a hammering and the one exception is always Kilkenny football. Wake up you lazy GAA journalists!! Talk to Martin Fogarty about the problems he is facing. Write the real stories and forget about your super 8s rubbish. This is not to mention the outside posters coming in with that Kilkenny football anecdotes. Tell us your Ulster or Connaught hurling anecdotes. We’d love to hear them.

BORO BILL

Well said great post

danganabu

Hawkeye6 wrote: »

What is really irritating is the number of Kilkenny people who slag off Kilkenny football. Kilkenny Under-21 hurlers beat Derry Under-21 hurlers in the All-Ireland Semi-Final by 52 points. I for one, felt we should have sowed it into them even more!! They are the best team in Ulster. Imagine what we could have done to any of the other 8 counties in Ulster. Give our young hurlers a shot at them I say.

Yes, that is shocking stuff to post, But isn’t it strange that when our Minor footballers were destroyed by Wexford over 12 months ago, it was Kilkenny that were wrong and at fault because of the perceived lip service we give to football. Yet, when we do it to another county in hurling, another county that has at least 8 counties worse than them, it is the system and structure that is at fault. Has any journalist or pundit come out and said that it is a disgrace the way Derry, not to mention the other 8 Ulster counties are treating our national game of hurling? Of course not! Yet, Kilkenny were ridiculed when it was football.

Had Derry an option? Of course they did. There is an Under-21B final as the curtain raiser to the A Final. Kerry v Wicklow. They didn’t have any issue about hiding from the might if Kilkenny in hurling. This hammering was Derry’s choice. If they took some of the resources away from football and put them into hurling, the national game, it would be better. Likewise all the other Ulster counties who completely hid.

In Kilkenny, we should be proud of our football because we make a way better effort, albeit far short of what we should do and are capable of, than many other counties do for hurling. This weekend, the senior county final is on between Mullinavat and Railyard. Hopefully it will be a good competitive game.

Let’s not feel bad about slamming Derry instead of the structure or the system. Maybe if they get enough of it, them and the other Ulster counties will stop playing lip service to hurling. If enough of us go at them, maybe the dog lazy journalists and pundits will look at the real issues behind the weaknesses in the spread and devotion to our national game, because I’m really tired of people looking at the system and structures every time a team gets a hammering and the one exception is always Kilkenny football. Wake up you lazy GAA journalists!! Talk to Martin Fogarty about the problems he is facing. Write the real stories and forget about your super 8s rubbish. This is not to mention the outside posters coming in with that Kilkenny football anecdotes. Tell us your Ulster or Connaught hurling anecdotes. We’d love to hear them.

You have serious issues lad, apart from that the vast majority of what you have said is factually incorrect

Django99

danganabu wrote: »

You have serious issues lad, apart from that the vast majority of what you have said is factually incorrect

It's a bit over the top but what did he say that was factually incorrect?

Village87

Any more insight from the club matches ? I went to see Ballycallan last night, another team in bother

danganabu

Django99 wrote: »

It's a bit over the top but what did he say that was factually incorrect?

Derry were not eligible to play in the B competition.

Hurling is not our national game, Gaelic Games are our national sports, its that kind of miss-representation that leads to the accusation of Hurling snobbery.

It was not outsiders that came in with their anecdotes, it was a Kilkenny poster who posted the first such anecdote - the fact he calls it an anecdote suggests he finds it amusing, so maybe look a little closer to home!

And finally Derry do not pay lip service to hurling and one only has to look at where they were 30 years ago compared to now to see that, a lot of work and money has gone into the game there, he claims that Kilkenny make a far better effort to promote football than Derry and many others do to promote Hurling, that is simply not true and is either over estimating what is happening in KK or showing a lack of knowledge as to what is happening on the so called weaker hurling counties.

I will admit I do agree with one sentiment of his rant and that is that the derision directed towards KK in this regard is lazy journalism on one hand and jealousy of the hurlers success on the other, KK are perfectly entitled to direct funds and coaches etc. to whichever code they choose and with the population of KK they are only ever going to excel at one code, and I think we can all safely agree they have chosen the correct one!!

Martin567

Hawkeye6 wrote: »

This is not to mention the outside posters coming in with that Kilkenny football anecdotes. Tell us your Ulster or Connaught hurling anecdotes. We’d love to hear them.

I'm a Kilkenny season ticket holder. I just thought that was a funny story!

Other than that, I agree with your sentiments. I actually responded to John Greene a few years back when he wrote a ridiculous piece proposing that Kilkenny be excluded from the Hurling Championship until such time as they became competitive at Football.

As far as he was concerned, there were no problems at all with hurling and the many weak counties were all doing ok at their own level!

Bonniedog

As the initiator of the football conversation, I can assure you I meant no offence.

Simply posted on fact that I had found programme which referred to the Kilkenny footballers returning to the national league for first time since 1999.

God knows as Dublin hurling supporter for over 40 years, I would not be slagging off anyone!

Top 10

Village87 wrote: »

Any more insight from the club matches ? I went to see Ballycallan last night, another team in bother

I was at Bennettsbridge v Shamrocks. A funny game in that Bennettsbridge were doing very well for 45 x minutes and went 7 points up and really looked like they would take the victory but the goal seemed to galvanise the Shamrocks (and they made substitutions that went very well) and they went from 1.07 to 1.14 down to 2.13 to 1.14 with an unansered 1.06 in 12 / 13 x minutes and also finished very strongly after Bennettsbridge scored to hit another 5 x points, some of the scoring and play from them in that period was very good.

Bennettsbridge seemed to retreat into a defensive situation after they went 7 x points up and this was an error as the Shamrocks were then able to win the majority of possesion in their defence and this put extra pressure on Bennettsbridge midfield & defence. The Shamrocks kept chipping away at the lead and you could see Bennettsbridge getting more & more uneasy.

Once the Shamrocks got on that 'roll' it was very difficult for Bennettsbridge to stop them, they didn't give up but things just started to go wrong all over the field. Everything the Shamrocks hit in the last 15 x minutes went over the bar...some real stand out scores.

Village87

Top 10 wrote: »

I was at Bennettsbridge v Shamrocks. A funny game in that Bennettsbridge were doing very well for 45 x minutes and went 7 points up and really looked like they would take the victory but the goal seemed to galvanise the Shamrocks (and they made substitutions that went very well) and they went from 1.07 to 1.14 down to 2.13 to 1.14 with an unansered 1.06 in 12 / 13 x minutes and also finished very strongly after Bennettsbridge scored to hit another 5 x points, some of the scoring and play from them in that period was very good.

Bennettsbridge seemed to retreat into a defensive situation after they went 7 x points up and this was an error as the Shamrocks were then able to win the majority of possesion in their defence and this put extra pressure on Bennettsbridge midfield & defence. The Shamrocks kept chipping away at the lead and you could see Bennettsbridge getting more & more uneasy.

Once the Shamrocks got on that 'roll' it was very difficult for Bennettsbridge to stop them, they didn't give up but things just started to go wrong all over the field. Everything the Shamrocks hit in the last 15 x minutes went over the bar...some real stand out scores.

Who were the stand out players ?

Top 10

Village87 wrote: »

Who were the stand out players ?

The younger Blanchfield at midfield was good, he has some genuine speed and once he gets motoring he is very difficult to stop, Liam Blanchfield tried hard but seemed to get fraustrated as the game went on and certainly in the end was outhurled. The Bennettsbridge goal was an error by Shamrocks goalkeeper who dropped the sliotar from a long distance free. I cannot remember the name of the 'Bridge player (No. 7) who cut over two sidelines, one of them was 65 x metres out and went flying over, you would struggle to strike it from your hand as far and as perfectly. Bennettsbridge scored a good bit from frees but that was due to great work collectively from their forwards and the pressure they put on the Shamrocks defence.

The Shamrocks were very average for first half & 10-15 x mins of 2nd half, though Colin Fennelly did score a very good goal where he nearly lost the ball a couple of times but still managed to wriggle through and finished with a very good shot. The subs they used were all very good, Conor Walsh (0.03), Eoin Reid (0.01), Joe Cuddihy (0.03) - Richie Reid at centre back was the pick of their backs, he was good in first half but was excellent in the 2nd half. Darren Mullen also had a good 2nd half (at midfield)

Village87

Top 10 wrote: »

The younger Blanchfield at midfield was good, he has some genuine speed and once he gets motoring he is very difficult to stop, Liam Blanchfield tried hard but seemed to get fraustrated as the game went on and certainly in the end was outhurled. The Bennettsbridge goal was an error by Shamrocks goalkeeper who dropped the sliotar from a long distance free. I cannot remember the name of the 'Bridge player (No. 7) who cut over two sidelines, one of them was 65 x metres out and went flying over, you would struggle to strike it from your hand as far and as perfectly. Bennettsbridge scored a good bit from frees but that was due to great work collectively from their forwards and the pressure they put on the Shamrocks defence.

The Shamrocks were very average for first half & 10-15 x mins of 2nd half, though Colin Fennelly did score a very good goal where he nearly lost the ball a couple of times but still managed to wriggle through and finished with a very good shot. The subs they used were all very good, Conor Walsh (0.03), Eoin Reid (0.01), Joe Cuddihy (0.03) - Richie Reid at centre back was the pick of their backs, he was good in first half but was excellent in the 2nd half. Darren Mullen also had a good 2nd half (at midfield)

Quality Review

Hammer Archer

Martin Comerford and Michael Kavanagh seem to be on the verge of being selectors for the Meath hurling team. Would either of them have any coaching experience do ye know? Think it'll be great for Meath hurling to have All Ireland winners in the senior management team.

droppingball

Freshford, mooncoin, ballycallan and dunnamaggin in intermediate relegation, Fenians did well to escape. Hard to see which of the four will go down. Intermediate is extremely competitive as always, most if the matches are hard to call with tullaroan probably the stand out team.

Attended the thomastown v lisdowney match, thomastown tore them apart in the first half and we're 11 up at half time, lisdowney upped the physical stakes in the second half and there was only 4 in it at the end. Thomastowns forward were moving very well and scored 2 16 in the first half.

danganabu

Hammer Archer wrote: »

Martin Comerford and Michael Kavanagh seem to be on the verge of being selectors for the Meath hurling team. Would either of them have any coaching experience do ye know? Think it'll be great for Meath hurling to have All Ireland winners in the senior management team.

Kavanagh was certainly involved with Wicklow at one stage, not sure in what capacity and Comerford was still playing with the club last year so probably hasn't been too involved on the coaching side of things - his father or older brother was over OLG the year they got to the AI I'm nearly sure.

jeff bingham

Was at shocks mvat which was a good tussle in very slippery conditions. Shocks won by a point when draw was probably fairest. Stand out players for cshock were Brian Donovan with 1-4, Mick rice as usual got his hands in a lot of ball. Niall Tennyson also very good along with wexford man eanna Martin.
For mvat john walsh was good from play with 4points I think also converted the penalty for a goal and scored a few frees. Did miss 4 frees though at important stages. Tom Alyward was very impressive at full back I thought.
2 Malones were quite enough.
Shocks go into shield final and mvat into a tough relegation semi

jeff bingham

danganabu wrote:

Kavanagh was certainly involved with Wicklow at one stage, not sure in what capacity and Comerford was still playing with the club last year so probably hasn't been too involved on the coaching side of things - his father or older brother was over OLG the year they got to the AI I'm nearly sure.

Andy Comerford was with Kildare alright for a season or two

brookville

Top 10 wrote: »

I was at Bennettsbridge v Shamrocks. A funny game in that Bennettsbridge were doing very well for 45 x minutes and went 7 points up and really looked like they would take the victory but the goal seemed to galvanise the Shamrocks (and they made substitutions that went very well) and they went from 1.07 to 1.14 down to 2.13 to 1.14 with an unansered 1.06 in 12 / 13 x minutes and also finished very strongly after Bennettsbridge scored to hit another 5 x points, some of the scoring and play from them in that period was very good.

Bennettsbridge seemed to retreat into a defensive situation after they went 7 x points up and this was an error as the Shamrocks were then able to win the majority of possesion in their defence and this put extra pressure on Bennettsbridge midfield & defence. The Shamrocks kept chipping away at the lead and you could see Bennettsbridge getting more & more uneasy.

Once the Shamrocks got on that 'roll' it was very difficult for Bennettsbridge to stop them, they didn't give up but things just started to go wrong all over the field. Everything the Shamrocks hit in the last 15 x minutes went over the bar...some real stand out scores.

I was also at this match,I think aidan cleere got the 2 sidelines.
As said above strange kinda match the bridge were the better team before nicky cleeres long range free went the whole way to the net,after this they seemed to crumble and retreat,the few subs definitely made a difference
I thought darren mullen was good while adrian took his goal very well and probably ended up with 1-2(a ballyhale lad told me his in with the 21s)
Lennon didn't do much wrong he man marked Colin in the 1st half,enda morrissey wasn't to bad at 6 but tj kinda pulled the shamrocks through before mullens goal swung it.
Ballyhale are blooding lots of youngsters with lads like mick fennelly,paul and henry shefflin,kevin mullen,eoin reid,conor walsh they'll still be the team to beat when everyone returns.

WhatsGoingOn2

danganabu wrote: »

Kavanagh was certainly involved with Wicklow at one stage, not sure in what capacity and Comerford was still playing with the club last year so probably hasn't been too involved on the coaching side of things - his father or older brother was over OLG the year they got to the AI I'm nearly sure.

He's still playing this year too

JimTreacy

danganabu wrote: »

Kavanagh was certainly involved with Wicklow at one stage, not sure in what capacity and Comerford was still playing with the club last year so probably hasn't been too involved on the coaching side of things - his father or older brother was over OLG the year they got to the AI I'm nearly sure.

Kavanagh was with Wicklow in an advisory role, he was also a co manager with Jimmy Meagher they won u21 Co final with St lachtains, took over Ballycallen when they sacked there manager a couple of years ago I a am not sure I think they got as far as a County intermediate semifinal.

greenspurs

Great to hear Frank Cummins inducted to the Hall of Fame ! .....
Great hurler.

Cornerback1

Colin Fennelly will miss Kilkenny's 2018 Allianz Hurling League campaign due to UN peacekeeping duty in the Lebanon.

The Irish Independent reports that the army man won't return until next April, meaning he will miss the entire campaign. 

Retired Kilkenny star Eoin Larkin and Tipperary's Patrick 'Bonner' Maher are other high-profile hurlers who have served tours of duty overseas in recent times.

brookville

Cornerback1 wrote: »

Colin Fennelly will miss Kilkenny's 2018 Allianz Hurling League campaign due to UN peacekeeping duty in the Lebanon.

The Irish Independent reports that the army man won't return until next April, meaning he will miss the entire campaign. 

Retired Kilkenny star Eoin Larkin and Tipperary's Patrick 'Bonner' Maher are other high-profile hurlers who have served tours of duty overseas in recent times.

Hopefully we'll see lots of lads blooded next spring I know we tried to blood some those year some went better than others,leahy probably the stand out but more of this u21 crop should see action,conor delaney,billy ryan,tommy walsh,darren mullen,scanlon etc are all good prospects.
The club championship will hopefully throw up a few players

JimTreacy

greenspurs wrote: »

Great to hear Frank Cummins inducted to the Hall of Fame ! .....
Great hurler.

He should have been honoured long ago he gave great service to kilkenny down through the years.

Realt Dearg Sec

JimTreacy wrote: »

greenspurs wrote: »

Great to hear Frank Cummins inducted to the Hall of Fame ! .....
Great hurler.

He should have been honoured long ago he gave great service to kilkenny down through the years.

To be fair they didn't actually have a hall of fame long ago.

JimTreacy

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

To be fair they didn't actually have a hall of fame long ago.

Good man

Realt Dearg Sec

Ok...?

PlayByTheRules

Question on Colin Fennelly from a non-Kilkenny person. I was watching a few games from 2011-2013 again, league & championship. Colin seemed to be much quicker and more effective back then. He was scoring a lot more also. I know he was thrown in full forward a bit this year but would anybody agree with me that he has worsened as a player? I wonder did he overdo it bulking up and lose some of his pace as a result. Some of his contributions and scores in 2011 alone were incredible.

piuswal

Bonniedog wrote: »

As the initiator of the football conversation, I can assure you I meant no offence.

Simply posted on fact that I had found programme which referred to the Kilkenny footballers returning to the national league for first time since 1999.

God knows as Dublin hurling supporter for over 40 years, I would not be slagging off anyone!

Just to reassure everyone, I did not find losing to Tipperary amusing, particularly in Nowlan Park.

C__MC

PlayByTheRules wrote: »

Question on Colin Fennelly from a non-Kilkenny person. I was watching a few games from 2011-2013 again, league & championship. Colin seemed to be much quicker and more effective back then. He was scoring a lot more also. I know he was thrown in full forward a bit this year but would anybody agree with me that he has worsened as a player? I wonder did he overdo it bulking up and lose some of his pace as a result. Some of his contributions and scores in 2011 alone were incredible.

You are correct, he was very good in 2014 replay as well turned The game IMO

blackcard

Congratulations to Kilkenny's U16s, winners of the Arrabawn Tournament, beating Tipp in the final by 3-12 to 2-10

Topcat32

Great win, I see Ciaran Brennan was on the panel.

citykat

http://www.kilkennypeople.ie/news/sport/267622/soccer-kilkenny-striker-brennan-gets-call-up-to-republic-of-ireland-under-17-squad.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

danganabu

citykat wrote: »

http://www.kilkennypeople.ie/news/sport/267622/soccer-kilkenny-striker-brennan-gets-call-up-to-republic-of-ireland-under-17-squad.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Is this the kid who was corner forward on the U16 Hurling team last weekend?