Kilkenny GAA Thread

Yup this is it exactly. If anything, we need a statement from the GAA/Croke Park on the situation and not having Donal Óg, Anthony Daly etc with the 'ah lookit we'll see come Championship time if they'll still be calling for them'

A real telling point would be a Championship Quarter/Semi/Final. If they indeed are calling for throw balls then fair play. My worry would be the 'criticism' they'd get if one is wrong (while being ignored for the multiple correct calls of course) and being labelled a 'cheat' etc.

Hopefully not a portent of the trajectory the county goes after his stewardship there ends.

The primary schools hurling in kilkenny is totally broken, ruined by the size and pick that canices have. It's no wonder so many schools are scrambling to get into roinn B. It's totally pointless trying for silverware in roinn A.

And is it true that canices are getting extensions and new buildings to grow in size?

It's not doing the canices lads or the rest of the county any favours as young lads are disillusioned with it.

And not a damn thing can be done about it.

There is a solution where canices could field two equal teams recognising in the process that nobody gives a toss really about what school wins the roinn a and that developing lots of players is way more important. That would also mean more other schools willing to go into the roinn a so lots more meaningful games.

It's funny though, when I was in canices we would play gaelscoil in challenges because it was the only match up either team could have where they wouldn't get a hammering from someone (and in my class the were more lads playing soccer than hurling). Things have changed a lot.

Let’s just say Pats is no longer posh enough for the parents of the locale

Mention of TJ, I imagine as soon as an update of his likely surgery is posted here, John Fogarty in the Examiner will report a "scoop"!

Thoroughly agree.

Best of luck to Kierans. Regardless of my previous comments on them I do hope the young lads get it done on what will be the biggest day some of them will ever have in sport.

Kierans deservedly beaten I'm afraid but without wanting to labour a point the throwing of the ball by the Limerick school has been unbelievable.

The pass for the goal was a clear throw. If players of this age are not penalised for doing it then I really fear for what the game is going to look like in years to come.

Ironically the only time the ref blew for a throw was against a Kierans player - and it was a throw as well.

Kierans left their best hurling behind them the last day which was something I thought might happen. Some players didn't perform at all and just couldn't turn their periods of dominance into scores. The missed goal before HT was the turning point.

ASR deserved their win, but Kieran’s will be desperately disappointed with their performance and game plan. So many forwards didn’t turn up. Just 0-6 from starting forwards is highly unlikely to win an AI in Croke Park on an almost perfect day for hurling.

Eaten alive on both team's puck puts all day, I'd say puck out stats were nothing short of a calamity for Kieran’s. It was yet another day when a Kilkenny team looked like it had no real game plan, conversely ASR had their game planned to a tee. Two ASR supporters in front of us knew exactly where puck outs were going, what a player in possesion was going to do with ball etc. A classic recent development where a KK team looked like they were tactically deficient agaisnt a Munster team that had spades of work done and duly applied it well.

ASR full back line were very good but helped by awful quality of ball into Kieran's FF line. Bad day at office for some highly rated KK forwards, but Joe Fitzpatrick looks a serious prospect, lots of hurling, big as a house, looks like he can shift and a great striker. Fingers crossed he has a big future.

PS

Not denying ASR their deserved win but agree with previous poster that they did indulge in a lot of throwing of the sliotar

Yeah ard scoil needed that more. They lost too many finals to Kierans and the Harty final aswell. In all fairness Munster schools probably value the Harty more than the All Ireland . That's true. But Kierans are a great school ..just ASR had abit better coaching and were more developed physically.

Yes, it is ugly and unsporting but sadly widespread and even sadder as you say that it is obviously being coached. Shine did get a lot of "attention" and Ireland Wall was twice dragged to ground when introduced, Joe Fitzpatrick when moved forward late on was greeted with an immediate dig, gave one back and the ASR player when down like he was shot (ref saw incident and waved play on).

On the poster saying Munster schools value a provincial medal more than an All-Ireland? Frankly I think this is untrue. I feel when Munster schools lose AIs they conveniently cite this one. Even if it were true, it would be madness (and insulting to schools in other provinces), valuing a provincial medal over an AI. Seriously?

Hard luck to Kieran’s (especially to lads who won’t be back next year) but they will be disappointed at how they performed, especially forwards. There were aspects to ASR play that I don’t like, and feel are symptomatic of some of the ugly elements of modern coaching, but they were the better team and had some smashing hurlers.

Rubbish St Flannans always liked wining all irelands.

A highly rated bunch who were very poor for Kilkenny in the minor Championship also. We really needed this bunch to deliver

Re: Kierans v ASR: I believe 13/15 of Kierans are eligible next year and it told in the physical stakes. For example, Shane O’Brien is an excellent hurler but it will be interesting when lads catch up to him size wise. Plus the ref let the game go which suits the bigger side invariably.

ASR were more efficient shooting wise which was really the difference. Kierans missed chances that they would normally put over in their sleep.

I thought Kierans have a few lads who should become senior hurlers for KK if they develop a bit further - Joe Fitzpatrick (great long range shooter), Padraig Lennon (great hands and balance), Killian Doyle (reminds me of his club colleague Derek Lyng), James Carroll (excellent to win dirty ball out of rucks), Ted Dunne (serious paw on him) and Harry Shine (not his day on Thursday but you can see the talent and he’ll learn from a day like that). Anthony Ireland Wall looked electric the couple times he was on the ball; may need to learn not to take too much out of the ball. He’s minor this year so it will be interesting how he fares. Plus when you take the 9 Kilkenny lads on the Good Counsel team as well, there’s a good base to work with. I have real high hopes for Marty Murphy (he’s a great ball winner) and Billy Reid is lovely stylish wing back.