Kilkenny GAA Thread

PeggyShippen

Limericks Rathkeale is going to be passed on to the Gaelic footballers or Camogie. JP's brother Gerry (not short of a Bob ) has bought 75acres of prime land in Patrickswell and thats going to be the new centre for the hurlers. This will be next level stuff by all accounts. Might be a Dome like Connacht have . And people forget about UL..Clare and Limerick train there at times. That place has the best sports facilities in Ireland along with Abbottstown . So Kilkenny have no choice but to move and move fast. Its already been pointed out on here that give Limerick a certain 'type' of 14-16 year old and give Kilkenny a similar type and 6 years later there's a far gap between them in terms of power, tactical awareness and focus. Of course facilities will win you nothing without professional guys in the background. That's forgotten aswell and they cost as much as the facilities..

Grats

Watching St Kierans v Ard Scoil Ris last Saturday you could generally see the difference in build between the two teams. St Kierans played to their strengths and were extremely well coached in the basics of hurling. They outfought their opponents with a smart game plan, plenty of skill and tremendous work rate from start to finish. There's a lesson there to be followed and perhaps not to get too hung up on strength and conditioning at such a young age.

As I pointed out in a previous post, look at Gakway's huge success at minor. No centre of excellence mind you. But they just cannot replicate that success at Under 20.

Village87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121864320#Comment_121864320

There is unbelievable work going on in Galway's clubs underage. 4 out of the last 5 feile underage winners have gone to Galway clubs. The clubs in Galway seem to be doing great work at developing players to 15/16.

Grats

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121864571#Comment_121864571

That's going on for years. My point being that it doesn't guarantee them success after moving on from underage/minor - as is plainly obvious with their under 20s. Hurling should be fun for kids. They'll be time enough turning "professional".

callaway92

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121864320#Comment_121864320

The opposite to what you've said. S&C (especially Strength) needs to be built at an Underage level. Once they reach 18/19, their growth stops, so you need to get their natural strength up at a young age. Just because Ardscoil won that match doesn't mean you can give a blanket statement like 'not to get too hung up on S&C at such a young age'.

Can't find it now, but Arsene Wenger did a great talk on youth in Sport and how Strength, Skill etc is all done underage. Once they hit adult level, they'll already have grown/developed fully, and it's then about embedding them into a system/structure and using their skills in the position that they fit the descriptor for best etc.

Alonzo Moseley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121864571#Comment_121864571

And that's why they and Cork (who also hoover up wins at 14/15/16 level) have dominated Minor since it went to u17.

The teams who have excelled at development squad level will clean up at the new Minor becuse it's essentially the culmination of 4 years of being togther as a development group and comes just 6 months after U16. And because it is played earlier in the year than previous, most players haven’t even reached 17.

But the jury is still out on whether it is translated into senior success. Galway and Cork have been by far the most successful teams at development level for the last 15 years and more but have just one senior AI between them in that time.

Look at the Cork minor team from 3 years ago, some of their interplay was mesmeric. But was it something of an illusion? Maybe it was just the culmination of a group of players who have been together for 4/5 years as a development squad, knowing each other inside out, passes zinging, everything to hand, lads knowing exactly where another is and where he is moving to.

Early days, but if that Cork team were as good as they looked (and they looked brilliant) a few of them would be setting the world alight already. Even more so, Galway, hardly any of their 5 AI winning minor teams of recent years have broken through as serious senior players. Look at Sean Mc Donagh in 2019, I’d have killed to have had him for Kilkenny, he looked an outrageous talent. Is he even on the extended Galway senior panel?

Conversely look at Limerick, no Minor title in 40 years but production line of quality 19–21-year-olds being produced Limerick. Look at ASR Limerick, just one AI yet have produced at least 10 serious senior hurlers in the last 10 years.

I think it’s sad that counties that put so much into development squads get so little reward, and it’s the advanced set ups post minor (Lim in hurling and Dub in football) that end up producing the real senior material. But sadly, there is a reason for that and let’s call a spade a spade, its’s bloody money!

 Which brings me nicely on to the facilities discussion. Of course, we always need to strive for the best, but again, like the chasm in senior county training budgets, as a small county, if it comes down to a money race, we will be beaten out the gate by Limerick and others. As another poster pointed out, Limerick have purchased nearly 100 acres of land just outside the city to build a Centre of Excellence. I assume that land alone cost millions. And millions more to be poured into the state-of-the-art facility itself, and millions more to continually run it, staff it and upgrade it. We cant compete with that, nor can almost any other county.

 The GAA is at a crossroads, the intercounty model that has been its bedrock is now badly broken and they must decide whether teh future belongs to a tiny number of counties with vast funding, or whether they look to somewhat equalise funding across all competing counties to ensure their competitions are competitive and interesting and not a litany of one sided matches that demoralise players and spectators.

Marrooned

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121864075#Comment_121864075

Dublin were giving all the money in the world. Do you not think we should be doing that or have you some other ideas

Village87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121865247#Comment_121865247

My argument is that the Galway hurling clubs seem to get the best out of their players before they hand them over. They excel for 2/3 in the Galway system to minor and then fall off the face of the earth. The Galway clubs seem to do great work, but the county cannot sustain it.

Grats

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121865247#Comment_121865247

Excellent post. Gakway have been streets ahead for years at underage, remember their success at Tony Forrestal! But they've struggled to develop them further.

With reference to a previous poster, I'm no expert on s&c, nor do I follow soccer. But I do know that young lads are not objects and do have a life outside of hurling.

tibruit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121865247#Comment_121865247

JP gazumped the equalization of funding for the time being I think. Smart fella.

callaway92

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121865623#Comment_121865623

Did someone say they’re objects?

Grats

What a shame that the St Kierans v St Raphaels is fixed for Saturday 16th, the same day as Kilkenny v Waterford. The schools final was played on St Patrick's Day last year.

davidx40

What are we at Eoin Murphy back in the goal .....going nowhere fast

Marrooned

Strong KK team announced, Harry Shine probably thrown in at the deep end but might work when he is surrounded by good hurlers.

Grats

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121868074#Comment_121868074

Did you notice - H Lawlor, P Deegan, TJ and G Dunne are back!

Grats

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121868093#Comment_121868093

Yes, remember Evan Cody!

me89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121868074#Comment_121868074

Absolute disrespect of one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, this site brings out the worst in supporters .Who plays instead of him?

Comerman

Can someone please post the team, cannot find it on the new app or Kilkenny gaa

davidx40

Who plays instead of him.., someone who can distribute the ball ......it's killing us with 5/6 years .......

Freneys Treasure

https://twitter.com/KilkennyCLG/status/1766217643797651953?t=ZFPgALTBPmzquz5QBYUe9A&s=19

Here

me89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121868153#Comment_121868153

Who? if you are going to say he should be dropped name a replacement.

Marrooned

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121868145#Comment_121868145

Join the supporters club

Marrooned

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121868119#Comment_121868119

Unfortunately we got an awful hammering that day.

jeff bingham

Jaysus Richie Reid straight back in at CB was really hoping we would try to find an alternative there.

The_Tank

Positions mean nothing. He is our best sweeper. Both our midfielders can drop into that position.

jonniegoogle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121864075#Comment_121864075

Our county teams in both codes have nowhere to train most nights during this stage of any year. The senior, u20 and minor setups have been training in carlow to get on good pitches.

The camogie board have the use of the callan cbs pitch I think which is well below standard.

\\so yes I'd agree with most posters that we need better facilities and quick.

Comerman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121868345#Comment_121868345

Got it, but thanks for your input

kentu

Anyone any word on who was dropped from KK panel over past few weeks??

brookville

Theres a good few panel members out injured at the moment anyway. Wally will miss a few early rounds of the championship.tom phelan,conor heary conor fogarty are injured. Unfortunately denis walsh and stephen donnelly struggling with hip injuries. Zak bay also injured. Some of the fringe lads that are injured could miss out this year. Lads like paul cody and paul heneberry,owen wall, havent being seen since walsh cup so these lads could be under pressure. That day in callan against wexford was shocking and alot of them didnt do their chances any good.Conor delaney, liam blanchfield and billy ryan are on and off the panel for differant match days and could also come under pressure.i thought they might try get a few league matches into david fogarty who was excellent for o loughlins. Georoid dunne had surgery at Christmas so its good to see him back.

I think they may leave deegan up in the fowards and congratulations on getting player of the year. Yes he makes mistakes but some lads need to cop on a small bit here.Hopefully it goes well for harry shine its a big step up but he deserves his chance and we need to have a bit of patience.playing around mullen and tj can only help him.

Its a strong kk team and we always struggle in ennis. We havent won down there for a long time. Clare will have their own motivation but i dont know will they want a league semi final.

Glenomra

From a recent Limerick Leader.

Limerick GAA set for ambitious Centre of Excellece development

The county's Hurling Academy was set up in 2011

LIMERICK GAA are in the process of unveiling an ambitious development plan that will see them attain close to 100 acres that will home a Centre of Excellence for their Academy.

In conjunction with Gerry McManus, a long time supporter of the county's Academy, Limerick GAA are set to obtain a 95-acre site in Crecora that will be the hub for the new development.

As first reported in the Irish Examiner, Limerick officials are already liaising with the relevant council authorities with regards to the planning application for the purchase of the site. 

The Academy currently trains at a number of venues in preparation for their respective venues throughout the year. It is expected that the Centre of Excellence will take a number of years to complete.The Limerick Hurling Academy was set up in 2011 on the back of 38 years without an All-Ireland and has helped pave the way for unprecedented success in recent years with five Liam MacCarthy Cups in the last six years.