Kilkenny GAA Thread

mullinr2

Truly believe that we never really saw Richie Powers true greatness because of his injuries and off the field problems.

Ceist_Beag

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118823058#Comment_118823058

I said it a few weeks back, it all begins with the County Board. When the attitude there is that it would be a shame if the football wasn't wrapped up by the end of March as otherwise it might interfere with hurling for the remainder of the year, then you know you're at nothing trying to get clubs interested in football here.

The fact that there is no league for U15 or U17 further underlines that attitude. Certainly some clubs are not interested but the root of the issue is firmly with the county board and the GAA HQ powers that be should really be taking them to task over it. For starters, there should be a league for U13, U15 and U17, not just U13. Secondly, the competitions should be run in parallel with the hurling - it should not be allowed to get them out of the way when pitches aren't even open in the winter. I'm not at all optimistic it will change though.

Mad about baa baas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118824158#Comment_118824158

Agree 100pc..its very telling that most of his former teammates in interviews and autobiographies name him as the most naturally gifted hurler they played with

Village87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118824694#Comment_118824694

My god Kilkenny had some talent in the forward department 10/12 years ago. As stated above Richie Powers true potential was never realised, some of his displays in club level were the best I have ever witnessed. Thrown in , Henry, Eddie, Gorta, Tj, Riche Hogan, Eoin Larkin, incredibly talented players. The performances these lads performed at club level were at another level. True Greatness

Grats

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118824764#Comment_118824764

Gosh, you're in overdrive and I even detect a hint of positivity there!

Joking aside, I agree with you regarding the greatness of those players.

big_drive

Crowd will be huge Saturday night

They're now going opening one of the terraces along with the upper tier of the stand such has been the volume of sales since tickets were put online

The Birchfield Boy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118824376#Comment_118824376

Yea a great piece by otb. Poor Christy didn't want to be upsetting anyone... and shur why would he? Isn't he only doing the job cos no one else would.

Firstly.. kk has been very competitive at second level fball in the last 5/6 years.

Next.. the lack of fball I feel has hindered kk in hurling believe it or not. Modern hurling is where fball was about 15 years ago. All the moden nuisances that kk struggle with ie movement and possession.. it's all coming from fball.

Finally.. where does all the fball capitation money from cp go to in kk?? Financial shenanigans?

Cornerback1

Yeah, lads playing football, starting at a young age, would improve them no end in my opinion - physically and tactically.

More sports the better when they're young.

brookville

It will be intresting to see will the other 3 teams go for this league now. We know kk will and without being disrespectful if we can't win the first two matches we've no business talking about all leinsters or all Irelands.id imagine the other 3 managers wouldn't say no to a league medal now but the league medal will be forgotten about quickly if teams dont at least get out of their groups. Cork have a huge match against Limerick in 3 weeks time so Kingston will be happy to get this preparation before they go to war with Limerick. I think I read cork made 7 changes the last day and hadn't the big hitters in the squad. I'd expect anyone fit will be available this weekend. Saturday evening under lights should also bring a big crowd and they certainly won't want to lose in their own back yard. This will be a much bigger test for us and a great match to be getting before the championship. Cork will try stretch us and we will try turn it into a dog fight.We've introduced a few fresh faces and you would have to be happy so far. Blanchfield and mikey give us loads of pace in the half back line and pace will definitely be wanted Saturday night.huw is improving the whole time but his biggest test of the year will be Saturday on horgan.mickey butler should get great confidence from last Sunday. I agree with what was said here mullen form is a worry I know he has a huge amount of hurling done but he could lose his Jersey very quickly.bergin has gone off the boil but I'd like to Shane Walsh see gametime before the league finishes. I'd also have a concern over Tommy Walsh at corner back. He got turned rotten a few times the other day and if that happens this weekend cork won't be as generous. While Richie Reid didn't do a whole lot wrong we were wide open a few times. We've also being slow to start the last few matches. There's no doubt we've steadily improved over the last few matches and we're getting a bit of confidence but this will be a great test on a great surface. They will really stretch our defence. Wally is playing with a bit of fire in the belly he hasn't had the last few years padraig will hopefully be a big help to the forwards later in the year. This will hopefully be a good season for Billy Ryan he is working hard and he could be about to catch fire. We still need to work on the delivery into our attack but we're hopefully on the right track and it's very obvious that we're working on this because if last Sunday was a few years ago we would of lumped ball after ball on top of de burca. We at least are playing with the head up and even when a short puckout didn't work and we conceded a cheap score we kept mixing it but as we all know its not till the heat of battle will we know have we learnt. Our puckout strategy against cork last year was actually hard to belive I hope we never see a repeat of that again

Someone said here the u20s are playing cork as a curtain raiser. What way is preparation going? Did Liam Moore rejoin the squad?they must be out in a few weeks time

brookville

Alot of the experts going with cork this weekend. They all seem to be in agreement corks pace will blow us away and we won't be able to live with them. I'm worried that we've a couple of rookies in defence and Kingston will go after these but the only way they'll improve and get experience is playing in these big matches. Kk haven't being tipped the last few matches and this certainly wont bother them but this will be a nice step up in class and will need to be at it from the get go unlike the last two matches where we've started slowly. Cork won't be as generous as dublin and Waterford at times last Sunday. It's a great test to be getting a few weeks out from the championship and still stand to the few newcomers.

KK36

Probably be near enough the same line out tomorrow. Couple of ponderables.

Is Paddy Deegan back?

Will TJ be togged out?

Any chance we could see Richie Hogan for 20 minutes?

robwen

From Kilkenny People this week,

Cody added: “TJ Reid played his way through the club championship while carrying an injury and that was understandable so he is just doing a bit of rehab at the moment.

“Hopefully over the next few weeks he will get back into it but he definitely won’t be available for the rest of the league.”

conor05

This break for TJ could be the best thing ever.

He will have the body and hunger right.

Still plenty left in that fella, he’s made of the right stuff!

Rosita

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118834067#Comment_118834067

Will you ever see Richie Hogan for anything other than 20 minutes......ever again?

blackcard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118824764#Comment_118824764

I always thought that Richie Power had the potential to be a hurler of the year. Great in the air, fabulous touch and control, equally good off his left and right, good vision, good at soloing and fast as well. Only played half a match all year before the all ireland final and replay where he got 3 goals. Injury blighted his career and he made extraordinary efforts to prolong his career.

My uncle maintains Richie Power is the most gifted hurler he has ever seen and it's a hill he's willing to die on.

therealdonster

I for one would be ok with that. I wouldn't have any worries about TJ's fitness or sharpness so let him do whatever he himself thinks is necessary at this stage to get him self ready.

Regarding the team for tomorrow, I'd expect more or less the same with maybe Donnelly coming in for Mullen and maybe Cody for Mossy.

I'd like to see Mullen tried at midfield at some point but not sure if he has the condition for there just yet.

tbiggertycome

I would have to say that I was impressed with the Waterford win and the biggest plus was the fact we stuck to the game plan. My only real complaint would be our forward movement particularly the two inside was woeful in the first half. The movement was much improved with the introduction of E Cody.

There are caveats in how much intensity Waterford were playing with, how much had they done in the last week or two a lot of Waterford lads seemed to be going down with cramp or for a break even in the first half.

Cody seems to have changed his stripes and it's what many have been calling for, for 5 years or so now. I'm not sure it will be enough but as another poster said there will always be total effort when Cody is in charge. Having that effort mixed with a smart style of play should help a huge amount. It remains to be seen if we can adapt enough on the field if teams alter their game to counteract our game plan, like Cork did after 20 odd mins in last year's semi. It also remains to be seen if we will stick to our new style when the real pressure comes on. Positive so far and far more positive than I expected and I'm delighted to be proved wrong but I'm also not getting over excited yet.

We'll have it all to do against Cork but I would expect about a 75% of Cork's best 15 to start. I think Cork will obviously go for it with their starting 15 but they also wouldn't be devastated if they lost seeing as their playing Limerick in 3 weeks in the first round of championship. They would prefer 3 weeks to prepare rather than 2 for such a huge game. I think given our schedule we will be all out to get another top end game.

Grats

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118836207#Comment_118836207

I am similar to you in your opinions. Hopefully the progress continues.

kk.man

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118835866#Comment_118835866

I actually heard the same from a hurling insider too.

tbiggertycome

KK v CORK

E Murphy

M Butler H Lawlor C Delaney

M Carey P Deegan D Blanchfield

C Kenny C Buckley

W Walsh P Walsh E Cody

B Ryan M Keoghan A Murphy

Subs

D Brennan

R Reid

C Browne

D Corcoran

J Maher

M Kenny

J Donnelly

J Bergin

T O Dwyer

S Walsh

R Leahy

Grats

Thought Deegan was out for a few weeks. Mullen not in subs. Good to see Browne and Leahy back. Tommy Walsh???

kentu

A strong looking team and some nice options to bring off the bench also.....I'm assuming Tommy Walsh and Mullen must be injured/sick when not in the 26 at all.

Has matt Kenny featured at all during this league yet??

Alonzo Moseley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118836442#Comment_118836442

Tough on Reid who played really well last Sunday, especially in 2nd half. Happy to see Delaney back.

Not sure on that midfield, I will be surprised if it lasts the summer.

Mossy Keoghan lucky to hang on to spot, Donnelly looked much better when he came on for him.

Very worrying that Mullen isn't even in subs, but in truth his form is very poor and I feel Cody picked him last week to see if his poor Ballyhale form carried over in to Kilkenny, sadly it did and we may not see him again in coming weeks.

And sad to see Richie Hogan (assuming he isn't injured) yet again being dicked around, his treatment these last few years is shameful in my opinion. If Cody has no plans for him it's high time he told the man straight. This is no way to treat one of our greatest ever players.

Looking forward to match but i would be astonished if that team (even with TJ back) is good enough to mount an AI challenge and if there are players to be found out, best it happens this weekend or next.

Powerhouse1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118836573#Comment_118836573

Cody's treatment of Richie Reid is shocking. Allways has being over the last few years..

JJs Left Hand

That midfield won't play. Murphy will move out there with Bucks playing as a 4th half forward as he's done throughout the league.

Alonzo Moseley

Just a recap on schools year to date and it certainly does not show any sign that the well has run dry as many outside and some inside the county suggest.

Senior A Good Counsel with over half team from Kilkenny won Leinster A. Kierans got to AI final. CBS by my reckoning were the third best team in Leinster

Senior B Won by Johnstown

Senior 2 Callan in final, still to be played

Junior A. Kierans and CBS by a distance two best teams at this age level in Leinster and will contest final next week after earlier contesting League final

Junior B. Johnstown in final (I think), still to be played

Juvenile/2nd year: Again Kierans and CBS top two with Kierans easily winning recent league final

Kierans seem to have an outstanding U16 team

Alonzo Moseley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118836621#Comment_118836621

True but I meant any combo of Kenny/Buckley/Murphy I dont see surviving.

I feel the plaudits being thrown at Buckley and Kenny in recent weeks is overdone (and I'm a fan of Kenny) , I dont think they have done a lot. Havent hurled badly by any means, just haven't donea lot. I feel even Buckley's goal was mishit, but fair play to him for going for it, shows confidence which he looks like he has been lacking.

Happy to be proven spectacularly wrong

therealdonster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118836573#Comment_118836573

Players have to be picked on form rather than what they have done in the past.

Has there been any confirmation if there is an U20 game or not tomorrow?

brookville

Matt Kenny is doing well hanging onto a spot on the panel. I don't remember him getting a run in the league.Pity Hogan isn't on the panel but he could of got a run out with ten mins to go last week but I'd say he'll probably see little time again this year before he goes.

Tommy and mullen must be injured but we're all probably in agreement mullen could benefit being pulled aside and try refocus before the championship. There's no doubting the potential is there but it hasn't being happening for a while. Its good to see deegan back I thought he was out for a few more weeks. Richie can feel a little hard done by but deegan is probably a better option at the moment. Maybe deegan could of went corner back and Richie stayed at 6. I'd be very worried two rookie corner backs and one who definitely isn't blessed with pace but there must be a plan in delaneys inclusion. He will be hoping to try redeem himself a bit after last year although I'd blame management for that bringing him on after a long injury on their fastest player and not making a change was scandalous.Cork give some great ball into the forwards and loads of movement inside so we our full back line will probably be in for a tough evening.Its very hard defend against so all we can do is reduce the good deliveries and we will probably do similar to the last two matches and swamp that middle 3rd.This pitch should suit Billy Ryan so hopefully he gets better ball tomor evening. Mossy works fierce hard but he needs to trouble the score board cause padriag won't get the same freedom he had till now. When he goes into certain areas he will be picked up.This will be a big step up but it's a great test for the newcomers and this is the only way they can get experience and learn once we don't get a bad beating its after being a positive league for us.

The u20s are out In a few weeks.What way has preparation gone?is Liam Moore back on the panel?who will be the go to players on this team?I think cork have 2 lads involved with the seniors so they can't play for the u20s this year if they choose that. We probably have no one close from the u20 pushing our senior squad let alone the team but cork have got their act together underage we need to follow.