Kilkenny GAA Thread

Good performance today albeit we didn't beat much, Laois weren't very good. Play was a good mix of the running game, diagonal passes and long punts down the pitch, there is a few too many diagonal passes where it's fairly clear that the players aren't looking where they are hitting the pass as there's either a 2 on 1 or nobody there. But it's an improvement on the aimless high passing that plagued our play the ladt few years.

Billy Ryan and Tom Phelan did very well and Tom Phelan took his goals very nicely. Alan Murphy did a good job from the frees and in open play. Cian Kenny looks very promising as a playmaker midfielder, needs to work on his shooting tho. Deegan did fine as centre back and Blanchfield won a fine amount of ball and was always available for the pass. Brassil was the only really poor performance, 2nd to the ball most of the 1st half and was rightfully subbed.

Didn't make it to the game yesterday and it was a pity there was no highlights of it on the League Sunday. Nice to see Tom Phelan doing well. He has a lovely touch and nice direct hurling, he's a bit slight is all.

It's gonna be a tough battle in Parnell Park next weekend against the Dubs. They deserved the win against Tipp, even if Tipp weren't brilliant, having said that Tipp bet us not playing great either.

I have to say it was the most underwhelming 17 point victories I've ever seen. We really struggled to impress in most places on the field and while we continued the short passing for the whole game this time it was really because Laois brought very little pressure at any point. Tom Phelan played well as did Blanchfield and I actually thought Brassil was going ok his side was targeted a lot and he tried to bring ball forward and create chances. Billy Ryan was good too and Mossy and Wally battled hard but beyond that no-one stood out much. Heary did well while he was on and I was sorry to see him going off. I hear we have a plague of hamstring and calf injuries currently.

Heard Dean Mason, Ronan Corcoran and Brian Cody were all called in. However Ronan Corcoran who had accepted and was going in has changed his mind after a conversation with Cody over timing due to his injury. I have heard a few other stories out of Ballyhale that would not inspire confidence in our illustrious leader and his style of managing lads after a long winter of a club campaign to a defeat.

Ciaran Wallace also left the panel due to what he deemed a lack of respect and communication on the part of the management (I don't disagree with him).

Cody is firmly stuck in the past and guys I thought would never question Cody, are openly saying his time is up.

I hope they do well against Dublin but I have my doubts but we'll see on Saturday.

You were asked often enough to come up with names to replace all those players you wanted dropped. You never did and you certainly never mentioned Tom Phelan. I too would like to see a change in management but try to be constructive otherwise.

Are Michael cody, Eoin O Shea and Eoin Guilfoyle still on the panel? All were part of it last year.

Also would like to see Evan shefflin and Niall Brennan brought into the squad if they are not in already.

Don't know how true it is but I was told at the weekend michael cody,eoin o shea and evan cody aren't on the panel. I know evan cody played last week but that's what I was told anyway. Alot of lads in trouble with hamstrings is it the training they're doing or just bad luck?niall brennan was involved with ul and played earlier in the year I hope he's still involved. Prenderville also in trouble with hamstring.Shane Walsh has an ankle injury. I do agree with the lads above it wasn't great yesterday but as we've seen week on week this league is very up and down.Galway were great last week but poor yesterday and the same with Waterford.Its hard to know what to make of it.if things are so doom and gloom I can't understand how lads like fogarty or Buckley keep coming back for more or even lads like John Walsh or Chris bolger coming back after being overlooked for years.while we were mixing things up yesterday its when the pressure comes on in the heat of battle will we know have we learnt from our mistakes.Two good tests coming up. So far you'd say cian kenny and blanchfield have done well and Tom phelan has being involved in the few goals we've got.

He'd surely go from 5ft 10ins to 6ft 5ins at least!!!

Dissapointed to see Michael Cody not part of panel even though i was allowing it as he hadn't featured yet this year....Would have thought few years back he would have made a good Corner/Half Back, we are really lacking quality in corner back in my opinion granted Tommy Walsh has done relatively ok over last few years.....Hopefully the likes of Darren Mullen, Delaney, Conor Browne and Richie Leahy in particular can get some way right as he's running out of time in my opinon.....I'd expect to see maybe Richie Reid and Adrian Mullen feature next weekend, Hopefully Padraig Walsh also.

John Donnelly's form seems to be a concern also, seems to be lacking confidence big time at the moment, madness puttting him Midfield as most would have thought looking in from the outside, Billy Ryan looked very lively yesterday scored 0-4 yesterday could have gotten another few scores, seems to be coming into form now and hopefully hard ground that comes will improve him further.

I agree with a lot of this but I don't think we can judge any Kilkenny player given our current setup and the standards that other teams have achieved. I think the fact we've managed to do so well the last few years winning Leinster and getting to AI Semi's is mainly down to the players and the quality of player we have in the county. If we had lesser hurlers we'd be a long way off.

I know that some of our ex backroom team believe that we could be a top one or two team in the country with the talent we have at the moment. The big issue they see is the coaching not being bought into be the whole management, lack of game plans and in-game management, player relationships and general atmosphere and a professional S&C setup. It could be turned around in as little as six months plus you would get the rejuvenation of players who look jaded mainly because they are after listening to the same voice for their whole career spouting the same message. Granted Cody gets savage commitment from them every day but that's not enough anymore he needs to help them develop not just sit back and wish and hope for it to happen.

In truth there were 3 or 4 more goals for the taking for Kilkenny on Sunday as the Laois full back line was very weak. It was very hard to judge anything from the game and in particular the second half. Tom Phelan deserves credit for grasping his chance and making it hard to drop him the next day. The forward play was much improved as was the ball played into the forwards. The biggest concern for me was midfield. The biggest contrast with Antrim match was the lack of movement in midfield. Laois were conceding the puck out and neither midfielder was looking to take it from the corner backs. Deegan and Carey the previous game covered twice as much ground and linked the play much better. James Maher improved this in the second half. If we can find a centre back Deegan needs to go back to midfield.

I'd also go a step further and outlaw handpassing the ball if it's been handpicked to you.

Would be hard to see the skill outlawed completely but forcing more stick passes and less hand passes would have to be a positive IMHO.

I don't follow other county team selections that closely but wonder if Kilkenny have more injury issues than other counties. We do appear to have a substantial amount and you have to ask, why so? In addition, over the last few years we saw how the players ran out of steam in knock out matches. I hope it's not a case of further skimping by management/county board.

Heard some very sad news there in the last few minutes concerning the passing of a sibling of a well known KK hurling figure, a man of 41 years of age.

I have no way of verifying it, so I will not name names and just say, very sad news if true, and may he rest in peace.

rest in peace its very sad

RIP to the man in question and thoughts with his family.

Team named with Deegan still centre back and Bucks in midfield. Nothing against the latter but surely his legs are gone for midfield unless you're giving him a very specific role to play.