Kilkenny GAA Thread

jimmythesulk

Another bore of a match. Like an exhibition match. The Leinster championship is just a waste of time at this stage, especially with Dublin and Wexford regressing. Time for an open draw.

kksaints

Comfortable win although the ten minutes after half time were a bit shaky. Forwards were very good in the first half as was Blanchfield who was bypassed to an extent in the second half. Billy Ryan was a big threat for most of the match. Huw Lawlor was caught for the Antrim 3rd goal somewhat.

brookville

Yea the game got very sloppy after half time which often happens teams with a big lead. Kk will be dissapointed to conceed 3 goals,they looked vulnerable when antrim went route one into that full foward line. McManus was a loss going off but infairness to them they kept tipping away. Kk will be delighted to just get back the road with 2 points and no injuries. It was good to get Wally and hogan on. Not a whole lot else to take from this. Another win should guarantee a leinster final appearance.

Clifford wasn't used today as expected and drennan should be back so hopefully they can get the win Wednesday.

blackcard

A win against Dublin more or less guarantees a Leinster Final. More than likely against Galway. Whoever comes out of Leinster will be up against battle hardened Munster opponents.

Mossy Keoghan definitely has goals on his mind. I think he is a better finisher than Eoin Cody or Billy Ryan who often hit the ball at a nice height for a goalkeeper. Thought Richie Hogan struggled when he came on.

brookville

We all would of taken a 17 point win going up to Corrigan Park. Antrim have a very decent record at home and kk were fully aware of this and got to work very early and were very good in the first half getting 4 goals and probably should of had 2 or 3 more. Kk pushed up and forced antrim to go long and the likes of blanchfield was very good. Alan Murphy and mullen got 5 points between them and the fowards were sharp. We still have work to do with the ball going into the fowards.

Kk will be dissapointed with the start of the 2nd half especially the full back line who struggled with a couple of high balls. The concession of 3-20 gives them plenty to work on over the next two weeks.The most important thing is the win. Tommy went off with a injury but it didnt look serious.

Dublin at home next,lyng was saying Paddy mullen picked up an injury during the week but he hopes to have Fogarty and deegan back soon. Dublin had a good win over Wexford. Donal Burke is a fantastic hurler and he will take watching but hopefully a win here will guarantee a place in the leinster final. Galway and kk look a nice bit ahead of the rest.

Big game for the u20 Wednesday night. Both teams held their u20 in reserve. Wexford will be hoping to get a win and give the county a boost because their seniors are struggling and will need some of these lads to make the breakthrough over the next few years. Hopefully denis Walsh will be fit. Clifford will be a big help and he's getting good experience with the seniors. Drennan would also be a big addition.The talk is he should be back.

With the seniors now in a good position and a few players to come back hopefully Clifford and drennan can stay with the u20 for the next few weeks.

Marrooned

I saw more KK supporters in Belfast today than I saw in Cork for the league final.

blackcard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120567575#Comment_120567575

The other concerning thing about today's performance was the number of wides, same issue in the last 20 minutes of the Galway match

brookville

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120567952#Comment_120567952

Cian Kenny must be a good bit down the pecking order. I'd still like to see Shane walsh get a run. Hopefully they both get a run before the leinster final. The game was over at half time and things got very sloppy it's hard to read to much into it.

Marrooned

I thought maybe he should have brought in Cian Kenny to restore his confidence after last week.

usualstripes

If we're able to beat Dublin in 2 weeks it will probably be ourselves and Galway in the Leinster final. On the last round if Galway beat Dublin and we draw or beat Wexford then Dublin progress in 3rd place I think. If Wexford beat us and Galway beat Dublin then Wexford progress in 3rd place.

Munster looking on a knife edge. A big challenge for tipp v Limerick in Thurles but if they got a win here it would put Limerick under pressure to get a victory v Cork in the last round. Clare v waterford in Thurles will be a humdinger of a match I'd say. So many different permutations.

The_Tank

What wasn't probably apparent yesterday on TV was the strong breeze down the pitch which Kilkenny had in the first half. It had quite an impact on the second half as Kilkenny had to try to figure it out while Antrim had the opportunity to bypass the middle where they were struggling.

McManus at full forward is as big a man as Lawlor and gave him loads of it. We were untidy in how we defended some of the longer balls - Mikey Butler for instance in the first half trying to break a ball down in front gave away 1-1 - it's so easy for a forward to run onto and go clean through. For sure our full back line looked a bit shaky and I thought Tommy Walsh was hooked rather than injured (?).

In the half back line Darragh Corcoran went really well and Richie Reid also. Mullen played a good first half but faded. Cody scored a cracker of a point in the second half when things were a little dicey. Mossey was a handful the whole way and his short handed striking is really good.

I also thought it was noticeable that Kilkenny worked the goals (and the opportunities) by laying off to a man on the edge of the square - we saw so many of those in the naughties, it was good to see them back.

Mention should go to the people of the Naomh Eoin club who put on the finest of hospitality for those that arrived up early. And for allowing the kids on the pitch at half time. And fair dues to Kilkenny for staying on the pitch and meeting the supporters. All these things are REALLY IMPORTANT for the promotion of the game - I know that from my own young lad - SO THEY MUST CONTINUE.

And finally following on from that point - for the first time ever, I have to say I strongly agreed with Donal Og Cusack with his cut off RTE and the GAA yesterday on the Sunday Game. It's a bloody shambles the exposure the game is (not) getting, both in Leinster and Munster.

realdanbreen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120568814#Comment_120568814

Must say I found it nauseating TBH from Donal og. There wasn't a peep out of him when all this was thrashed out way back so he waits until he's on live TV to become "outraged " ! He has no problem with gaago so he wants rte to show more hurling which would obviously be at the expense of coverage of other sports, a ridiculous suggestion. But hey it's getting him coverage in the media today and like his Stepford wives comments, that's all that matters to him.

dodgysub

The calendar in both hurling and football is a mess and it is of the GAA's own making. As long as it stays wedded to a provincial system, it will never be solved. The hurling league and championship are basically the same competition so its no wonder that so little effort is put into the league. The football leagues are probably the fairest competitions run in the GAA but are finished just as the weather starts to improve. A 3 tier football league championship with 16 teams in Sam McGuire, 9 in tier 2 and 8 (incl London) in tier 3 starting 1 March with seedings for straight knock out championship based on league performance would give enough matches and coverage for everyone. There would be promotion and relegation between the 3 tiers.

In hurling, one of the biggest problem is the drop off in standards between top 9/10 teams and the rest. It is almost cruel for the Westmeath players (as honest as they are) to get the hammerings they are at the moment. That issue is almost unsolvable especially given the resources that are now put in team preparations. However again a 10 team Tier 1 league championship where each team would play each other leading to a seeded knock out championship may be the fairest solution.

The tv coverage has been bizarre but it is almost a secondary issue to the competition structures.

The initial welcome of the split season has definitely turned as well but again this is a by product of the current inter county structures.

Nedflanders02

I know yesterday was far from perfect, but there was a lot of positive signs. I thought the movement and link play between the forwards, especially in the first half, was excellent. We've struggled to score goals the last few years and the way we were able to work the goals yesterday was very encouraging. I think it's been noticeable in the last couple of games that they are looking more comfortable in playing the way Derek wants them too and I thought our puckouts looked a lot better yesterday. Billy Ryan looks to have played himself into a bit of form and TJ looked sharper yesterday too. If they can get Mikey Carey up to speed and maybe get some game time into him against Dublin, I think a midfield of him and Adrian Mullen could become very effective for us. Still lots of work to be done but it does seem likes things are slowly beginning to click into form for us.

Grats

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120571232#Comment_120571232

Exactly how I felt also.

brookville

It was a no win situation yesterday. We won by 17 points so that's the most important thing.kk got to work early and had 1-2 on the board after a few minutes. The game was over at half time and we were something like 16 points up. They switched off after half time which will give lyng plenty to work on over the next 2 weeks.

Mark Dowling was saying he has a full squad to pick from Wednesday so that means denis walsh will also be available. Billy drennan will be assessed nearer to the time but he won't be risked.The sensible decision will be made but he is training away with them. Its do or die now but If the team plays to their potential id be hopefull they will get the win but of course they will have to play well. Wexford should of at least pushed last year's leinster final to extra time.This is a very important game for them aswell and they will come with all guns blazing. Some of our defenders aren't the quickest running the other way so Wexford will try to exploit this. Clifford and dunne will bring strength to that attack,Ted dunne is a handful and very good at winning his own ball.

Hopefully the u20 can get on a run now and I'd expect Clifford and drennan to stay with them. This competition will be over in a few weeks and a day before our last round robin against Wexford I think. The u20 players will know that if they play well over the next few weeks they could force their way into senior training. Derek has great time for these lads.

Nedflanders02

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120550228#Comment_120550228

I was talking to someone at the county board meeting last night on this and they reckon that the job has been filled but that they are awaiting the person to finish their contract in their current employment before it is being announced.

Grats

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120573590#Comment_120573590

I believe it's 2 people sharing the role.

robwen

https://twitter.com/KilkennyCLG/status/1655613541276057600?t=eCIPVUJoX1jf2ojct2CQAg&s=19

On TV at 7.30pm

tbiggertycome

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120573590#Comment_120573590

Thanks for the update

tbiggertycome

KKvWEX U20

SManogue

PLennon SPurcell JNeary

JFitzpatrick ELyng PLangton

BReid KDoyle

LConnellan TClifford CBeirne

CHackett GDunne HShine

Subs

N Holland

Z BayHammond

Bolger

J Carroll

T Dunne

R McEvoy

E O'Brien

N Rowe

J Walsh

Billy Ocean

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120576655#Comment_120576655

From the round robin game last month 12 starters named from Wexford and 10 from Kilkenny, 2 subs for each team that day starting too.

brookville

Pity Billy and denis walsh haven't recovered in time but Mark Dowling was saying the other day Billy won't be rushed back because he will hopefully have a long season with the seniors and his club. The sensible decision was made with lads recovering from injury.

Strange one with niall Rowe he has being in and out,maybe he has a knock but he done well with the seniors earlier in the year. It's a big half foward line on paper and a dangerous full foward line if they perform. Ted dunne is unfortunate to loose out.

Alonzo Moseley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120577656#Comment_120577656

I am amazed Ted Dunne has been dropped, him and Denis Walsh are miles better hurlers than 3 of starting forwards.

As regards Niall Rowe exclusion, Jeff Neary looks a terrific prospect.

Village87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120576655#Comment_120576655

My concern with the team is pace,

Without naming names it does not seem to be the paciest team. I am looking forward to watching Harry Shine, lot of talk about him but usually seems to be carry knocks going off injured etc.

corner back 2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120577683#Comment_120577683

100% agree but if you started them there wouldn't be room for all the Boro lads

Nedflanders02

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120578194#Comment_120578194

I think that's why Neary may have got the nod ahead of Rowe at corner back to bring a bit of extra pace back there. I'd agree the half back line, although they are all very good hurlers lack pace, I think they will need a good bit of help from the midfield. On paper the forwards look strong, hopefully they can get decent ball into Shine and Hackett and let them use there pace run at the Wexford defenders. The goalie Manogue impressed me the last 2 matches, his puckouts in particular have been excellent.

JJs Left Hand

Admittedly I'm working from memory from a game 2 or 3 weeks ago but at the time I thought the puck outs to the full back line and the speed of getting the ball out from a wide against Dublin were poor. I'm a huge Neary fan as a hurler but he's not a corner back. He works if the opposition pull a corner forward out and play 2 inside as he's the spare man and he can take the ball from the keeper or sweep behind the half back line but I'd be very worried if a team pushed up on him and went after him with a proper forward. Surprised the same half back line are starting after the last day because they were cleaned out for large parts of that game.

I felt the game turned on Denis Walsh being introduced at half time and without him and Drennan I'll be going in hope rather than expectation.

Best of luck to them all.

Grats

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120578560#Comment_120578560

Unfortunate for Walsh and Drennan, and Kilkenny. Are there better, pacey, backs out there I wonder?

If any player deserves to be wished the best of luck, it's H Shine. He's been very unfortunate with injuries. Hopefully he gets through the full match.

Mad about baa baas

Why is match not.on tg4 for another hour?