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

minty81

7 players making their first championship start by my count. Can't imagine when that last happened

blackcard

minty81 wrote: »

7 players making their first championship start by my count. Can't imagine when that last happened

8 changes from the last championship match. I think Dublin have 3 newcomers on their team

tbiggertycome

brookville wrote: »

Happy that they've stayed loyal to most of the squad that brought us the league.its a pity no richie hogan but good to see cleere and the two army lads on the panel hopefully we go well Sunday and we look like we're building a good squad.

The word I've heard on Richie is that he was reacting well to training matches and his back had no issues at all from the heavy impact and slaps of full tilt tackles. The reason he's not on the bench though is he had a hamstring twinge over the weekend, I assume he wasn't far enough along to make the team.

As someone else said earlier in the week on here I've heard Jason Cleere is absolutely flying and feeling better than he has in a long time. The hip operation he had at the end of last year was supposed to be done the year he finished minor but he refused and wanted to play on. By the sounds of it he's reaping the benefits of the surgery now and hopefully will be able to move more freely and he's game will get even better. He's a great addition to an already strong squad.

Since the League final we've picked up 4 extra players which is huge, considering the fact that we played so well in the league and had already found so many options. We have 2 more options in defence in Paul Murphy and Jason Cleere and two more options in the forwards with Colin Fennelly and a fit again Richie Hogan.

Our squad is coming together at the perfect time when it will be stretched to it's limit but I'm very confident we can handle anyone out there. We've a young team and they can implode on any given day but I have a lot more confidence in their spirit which I lambasted Cody for the lack of, at the end of last year. All the players now look like they want to play and they are playing together and to a plan, none of that was happening last year.

I expect us to get to an AI semi final and from there who knows but I wouldn't be surprised to see Liam rolling down John Street in August. It's an outside chance but not as far fetched as some will have you imagine.

blackcard

Interesting to compare tomorrow' s team to the team that were beaten in the championship by Waterford last year. They actually are nine changes but some players played in different positions such as Paddy Deegan played in midfield last year. So the changes are as follows.
Joey Holden for Paul Murphy
Enda Morrissey for Rob Lennon
Conor Delaney for Conor Fogarty
James Maher for Joe Lyng
Richie Leahy for Michael Fennelly
Martin Keoghan for Kevin Kelly
John Donnelly for Colin Fennelly
Bill Sheahan for Richie Hogan
Ger Aylward for JonJo Farrell
The 6 players remaining from last year are Eoin Murphy, Padraig Walsh, Cillian Buckley, Paddy Deegan TJ Reid and Walter Walsh.
Are we an improved team? Playing smarter?

Realt Dearg Sec

blackcard wrote: »

Interesting to compare tomorrow' s team to the team that were beaten in the championship by Waterford last year. They actually are nine changes but some players played in different positions such as Paddy Deegan played in midfield last year. So the changes are as follows.
Joey Holden for Paul Murphy
Enda Morrissey for Rob Lennon
Conor Delaney for Conor Fogarty
James Maher for Joe Lyng
Richie Leahy for Michael Fennelly
Martin Keoghan for Kevin Kelly
John Donnelly for Colin Fennelly
Bill Sheahan for Richie Hogan
Ger Aylward for JonJo Farrell
The 6 players remaining from last year are Eoin Murphy, Padraig Walsh, Cillian Buckley, Paddy Deegan TJ Reid and Walter Walsh.
Are we an improved team? Playing smarter?

When you list it like that it doesn't read looked an improved team necessarily, but we're definitely playing smarter than last year

Bonniedog

Two first timers for Dublin.

Realt, I hope you shall be supporting your adopted county, who took you in when you hadn't a pocket in your trousers.

brookville

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

blackcard wrote: »

Interesting to compare tomorrow' s team to the team that were beaten in the championship by Waterford last year. They actually are nine changes but some players played in different positions such as Paddy Deegan played in midfield last year. So the changes are as follows.
Joey Holden for Paul Murphy
Enda Morrissey for Rob Lennon
Conor Delaney for Conor Fogarty
James Maher for Joe Lyng
Richie Leahy for Michael Fennelly
Martin Keoghan for Kevin Kelly
John Donnelly for Colin Fennelly
Bill Sheahan for Richie Hogan
Ger Aylward for JonJo Farrell
The 6 players remaining from last year are Eoin Murphy, Padraig Walsh, Cillian Buckley, Paddy Deegan TJ Reid and Walter Walsh.
Are we an improved team? Playing smarter?

When you list it like that it doesn't read looked an improved team necessarily, but we're definitely playing smarter than last year

Whatever about comparing this years lads to last years players and (i know it was only the league and we'll have a better idea where we are this time tomor) but we're much improved this year.We've learned how to deal with the sweeper,we've mixed up our play which was very predictable and the hunger is back and thankfully bar richie (hamstring) and Kelly (knee) we have a full squad and competition for places.
We've settled on the spine of our team early doors and the likes of mossy and leahy and rejuvenated wally and tj.
Looking forward to tomorrow im expecting a tough battle but hopefully we can squeeze out a result.
Best of luck to both our teams tomorrow.

Realt Dearg Sec

Bonniedog wrote: »

Two first timers for Dublin.

Realt, I hope you shall be supporting your adopted county, who took you in when you hadn't a pocket in your trousers.

It's worth remembering that we set up the hurling club specifically for the purposes of country lads stranded in the city looking to bate the dubs.

Bonniedog

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

It's worth remembering that we set up the hurling club specifically for the purposes of country lads stranded in the city looking to bate the dubs.

This is gratitude

Downside is if there are pints tomorrow it goes to Craobh. They probably buy hunting knives or something ...

laneykin

Anyone heading to the match tomorrow know a good spot for parking?

wazzer1

If your in early enough the school next door will be open. Or else throw it along the road in the housing estates..again you'd have to be there early enough

Comerman

Any update on the minor game? KCLR not covering it for some reason.

Brian017

KK lead 2-6 to 2-5 after Dublin made a fast start scoring 1-1 in the first few minutes

Brian017

Kilkenny lead 2-10 to 2-7 at HT. O'Leary and Morrissey with the goals

Brian017

With 15 to go. Kilkenny still lead 2-16 to 3-10

Brian017

Dublin had levelled it with a 4th goal, but Brennan instantly replied with KK's 3rd. 3-20 to 4-12 with 3 mins left

Brian017

FT KK 3-23 Dub 4-12. Kilkenny did well to respond to Dublin's 2nd and 4th goals, getting their own within a minute each time. Didn't allow them to gain any momentum from them

dzer2

Are you at the game @Brian017

Brian017

dzer2 wrote: »

Are you at the game @Brian017

Yep

mullinr2

Ah here lads this is awful stuff from kk

kksaints

Dreadful stuff. Aimless high hanging ball again and again. Defense making some very sloppy errors. Need to pick it up big time.

dastardly00

The lads would seriously want to pull the finger out at half-time. If it continues like this in the second half I can't us winning.

The forwards are getting more and more involved but the backs look very shaky and I wouldn't be surprised if they conceded more goals.

dzer2

Brian017 wrote: »

Yep

What was the like for Kilkenny

dastardly00

The defense is absolutely chronic

BoroMan32

Joey Holden is all over the place and Deegan is no better.

C__MC

The league really means nothing eh

dastardly00

I do not believe we managed to win that.

Absolute daylight robbery.

Absolutely delighted though

kksaints

Stole that to an extent but fair play to the lads. Defense will need to improve seriously next time out.

thelad95

Dublin sat back in the last ten and it was a eight point swing from 5 up to 3 down, you don’t do that against Kilkenny.

robwen

Phew

FrKurtFahrt

I love when Kilkenny grind out a result like that - getting a win, yet still so much obvious improvement possible.

mullinr2

Got out of jail there. Keaney going off turning of game. Lots of mistakes in back line, dropping ball out of hand. Dublin answered alot of questions. This should bring team on a lot. Full back line looks very shaky. Don't know what to think after that.

BoroMan32

Keaney going off was crucial, Dublin didn't win a ball in the forward line for the last 10 minutes. Fine effort from them today but I suspect it'll be downhill from here on in.

JJs Left Hand

Well that was a total shambles.

Man handled all over the field and doesn't bode well for the Galway game considering the similarities with them and Dublin in terms of their physical strength.

Full back line woeful.
Bucks use of the ball woeful.
Forward line couldn't get any space and absolutely obliterated in the air.

Robbed them blind.

Delighted for Blanchfield getting the goal.

Garyp88

I think Dick Turpin has been spotted leaving Parnell Park in a kilkenny jersey

dastardly00

Thank fcuk it's Offaly next week and not Galway/Wexford

Dyr

FrKurtFahrt wrote: »

I love when Kilkenny grind out a result like that - getting a win, yet still so much obvious improvement possible.

Honestly don't think yiz ground anything out this time, escaped by the skin of yer teeth. If we'd taken our chances in the first half, our forward line running out of steam in the last ten wouldn't have made such a big difference.

Would expect a big response from that KK team now, seem to be relying too much on TJ to do all the heavy lifting.

Hitchens

Garyp88 wrote: »

I think Dick Turpin has been spotted leaving Parnell Park in a kilkenny jersey

yeah, he was accompanied by D Kirwan in a dublin jersey

Garyp88

Some very poor decisions today didn't let the game run. However extremely poor today and ground out a win but you can't turn up every week even the best teams have off days. Feel for Dublin 3 goals and still lost that will really hurt them today

Nickindublin

Referee was awful. But KK got out of jail. Dublin the better team. Should have won. If this is the kk team going forward we will win nothing

blackcard

This was a huge reality check for Kilkenny as Dublin were the better team. Got some refereeing decisions late on which nearly balanced earlier decisions. Couldn't handle Liam Rushe even though he should have been done for charging on a number of occasions. We went back to lumping high balls to the forwards and Dublin caught loads of balls. Paul Murphy and Colin Fennelly were good when they came on as Joey Holden, Paddy Deegan and Morrissey struggled. Essentially Eoin Murphy's frees saved KK. Fair play to Blanchfield for his goal, he has got a lot of criticism. Hopefully Richie Hogan gets back soon. Richie Leahy, Ger Aylward and even TJ will have better days. Jason Cleere might get a chance in the backs. But there is a limit as to how far this team will progress this year.

Topcat32

Bambi wrote: »

Honestly don't think yiz ground anything out this time, escaped by the skin of yer teeth. If we'd taken our chances in the first half, our forward line running out of steam in the last ten wouldn't have made such a big difference.

Would expect a big response from that KK team now, seem to be relying too much on TJ to do all the heavy lifting.

I think this Dublin team will always have problems with taking their chances, put Con O Callaghan and Mark Schutte in the team and it would be a different story but unfortunately they will not be available.

Kilkenny definitely were outplayed for the majority of the match but I don't think our forwards are our big problem, we don't have a natural full back, our spare man in the back line always seems to end up trying to help Padraig Walsh to contest high balls with the full forward, usually only causing additional chaos and when Buckley is forced to man mark somebody his distribution of the ball can be very poor. Apart from Walsh and Buckley the backs struggle to break tackles.

Still think there was some positives to take from today, we did well to hang on in there, there wasn't any panic and the heads didnt go down when we went 5 points behind. I thought Paul Murphy and Colin Fennelly did very well when they came in, James Maher was decent, John Donnelly got a nice point, worked hard and won a fair few frees and Walter looks to be playing his best ever hurling at intercounty level.

BORO BILL

Bambi wrote: »

Honestly don't think yiz ground anything out this time, escaped by the skin of yer teeth. If we'd taken our chances in the first half, our forward line running out of steam in the last ten wouldn't have made such a big difference.

Would expect a big response from that KK team now, seem to be relying too much on TJ to do all the heavy lifting.

TJ didn’t do much heavy lifting today, that was the poorest I’ve seen him in a long time. Dublin we’re always going to put it up to Kilkenny today they have had this match in their sights for a long time. They are a very fit physical team and Kilkenny forwards got plenty of attention off the ball as well as you would expect in the championship. Kilkenny touch was poor with a lot of players who seemed very jittery. Padraig still not a full back for me, Buckley gave the ball away so often today, Leahy couldn’t get going in the tight spaces and mossy Ger and Sheehan never in the game. Wally and John Donnelly worked their socks off and Colin Fennelly and Paul Murphy made a big difference and Eoin Murphy was immense. Dublin won’t be anywhere near this outside Parnell but fair play to them today. They did most things right except win the match. Fair play to Liam Blanchfield took his goal really well. Gets a lot of stick so well done Liam.

Topcat32

Nickindublin wrote: »

Referee was awful. But KK got out of jail. Dublin the better team. Should have won. If this is the kk team going forward we will win nothing

I think these sort of comments should be balanced by accepting that we had 7 players starting a championship game for the first time today against a team that far more experienced Kilkenny teams have struggled against in recent times.

blackcard

Topcat32 wrote: »

I think these sort of comments should be balanced by accepting that we had 7 players starting a championship game for the first time today against a team that far more experienced Kilkenny teams have struggled against in recent times.

Yes. I don't think that Kilkenny are as good as a lot of people hoped after the League nor as poor as they looked at times today. A lot of the new lads will have better days than today and games should help Aylward and Fogarty

Dyr

BORO BILL wrote: »

TJ didn’t do much heavy lifting today, that was the poorest I’ve seen him in a long time. Dublin we’re always going to put it up to Kilkenny today they have had this match in their sights for a long time. They are a very fit physical team and Kilkenny forwards got plenty of attention off the ball as well as you would expect in the championship.

In fairness to TJ, O'Donnell is no slouch at man marking and then he had O'Callaghan at full back too. Presume when Hogan et al come back it will take some pressure of him.

brookville

Just home by god we were steeped in it.you would have to feel sorry for dublin today a tiny bit more clinical and they would of bet us comfortably.
Gilroy had them spot on today rushe and keaney very affective and Moran very good as sweeper.
Dissapointing that 3 lads making their debut replaced but donnelly i thought worked his socks off.
Hopefully today will stand to us and dampen a bit of hype Parnell is a very very hard pitch to play on with very little space but id prefer to be winning playing poorly than losing.
A win next week will put us in a good position and thankfully no obvious injuries so hopefully we can up it a notch next week.

Dionysis

brookville wrote: »

Just home by god we were steeped in it.you would have to feel sorry for dublin today a tiny bit more clinical and they would of bet us comfortably.
Gilroy had them spot on today rushe and keaney very affective and Moran very good as sweeper.
Dissapointing that 3 lads making their debut replaced but donnelly i thought worked his socks off.
Hopefully today will stand to us and dampen a bit of hype Parnell is a very very hard pitch to play on with very little space but id prefer to be winning playing poorly than losing.
A win next week will put us in a good position and thankfully no obvious injuries so hopefully we can up it a notch next week.

Dublin were the better side but they are a very very physical side that our younger guys were always going to struggle against.
Thought the ref was very one sided when it mattered and they giving us frees when it should not have been. Dublin lucky to finish with 15. Keany blatantly ripped the helmet off Joey 50:07 Into the game.

mullinr2

Parnell park very tight, which certainly didn't help kk. Very little space for forwards. Some of the decision making today was dreadful. Part of this was because of the immense pressure Dublin put us under but some of it was unforced errors. Joey not able to lift the ball and dropping the ball a few times, same with Morrissey; Buckley's poor delivery of the ball; Padraig Walsh is not a no.3. Forde had him in the league final and Rushe today. He is struggling back there. Galway will be looking at today's match and be licking their lips at the prospect of that kk back line.
Richie Leahy made a great run in the first half, then he just aimlessly gave it away.

A serious statement against Offaly is needed. If we struggle to beat Offaly by at least 8 points we haven't a hope against Galway and Wexford.
Positives from today is that we grinded out a result. Colin and Paul were very good when they came on. Walter also had a good game. Tj although quiet from play didn't miss one free.

savannahkat

According to RTE Parnell Park is 12ft shorter and 24 ft narrower than other major hurling stadium.If this is not an advantage to a home team then nothing is as it makes marking & bunching considerably easier thus favouring the more physical and less skilful player. That is a simple fact. With seven debutants and a lot of them very young  Kilkenny did very well to hang in when the going got tough. It was not easy to come back from a pair of body blow goals one a definite result of a charge the other being its first cousin and both at a time when Kilkenny appeared to be gaining a bit of momentum. That allied to Alywards miss in the first half a miss that would have been easier to put in the net I suspect made a big difference to the way the game subsequently played out. Not perfect by any means from Kilkenny but not too bad either taking everything into consideration and scoring 1-25 in the tight confines of Parnell Park was no mean achievement.