Kilkenny GAA Thread

not pushed on mullen in midfield, dont think he works hard enough. Would be more in favour of deegan midfield and reid centre back

Huw Lawlor is definitely out for the rest of the round robin, according to a few of his fellow club men. This is huge loss as others have said he was one of our best players, playing consistently great this year.

Absolutely shocking if true regarding Buckley but it doesn't suprise me. Anyone could see last Sunday when put under pressure we hadn't a clue what to do. Defenders are on different pages than the forwards.This has happened the last few years in the games we lost and just ends up in lumping ball up. Criminal to say we haven't a clue what we're at despite trying to do this a few years.Theres no smooth link up play that came from the training ground. It's just make it up as we go along and do it for the sake of it. We desperately need a modern coach who will be listened too.

Huw is one of our most improved players and will be a massive loss because its the one position we've no replacement.Delaney will probably go 3 but lack of gametime and sharpness could be shown up.He has lost Any bit of pace he had since the injury and had an awful night against cork in league.Wallace could of done a job here if he was still involved. He could put deegan back to 3 nothing would suprise me at this stage.

While very disappointing to read what tbiggertycome has to say about training it really doesn't surprise me. It just confirms what we've been witnessing on match day when the players struggle to perform decent link up play. Eoin Murphy gets a lot of flak but it's been obvious that he's confused as to what's expected. I've said it on numerous occasions that we're just not practising various moves in training enough, if at all. I listed various boxes that need to be ticked to achieve the best results in today's "modern" game. Of course that includes link up play, short puck outs etc but it also includes what might be classed as cynical stuff like delaying puck outs at times, going down when fouled with the medics in like a flash, more use of the throw ball and so on. But it's not Cody's way and we'll continue to struggle until there's a change.

Hopefully the under 20s do well in their remaining matches. Lyng, Rice and Barry deserve great credit for staying local. They should be first in line for a possible vacancy at senior level, hopefully soon. If it did work out for them it would rule Shefflin out. I'm sure he'll be happy to do the circuit of Ireland in any case. Of course it will very much depend on how it works out for him in Galway.

I was as thrilled as anyone with the U20 win but we need to keep a sense of perspective

Galway were missing 2 of their very best players and then lost Sean Mc Donagh (who scored 2-8 versus us in 2019 minor final) before HT, yet we won by a point largely thanks to a fluky goal.

Added to that was the fact the first 20 mins was excruciating stuff, so sorry, no way have the three lads suddenly got my full confidence (the performance last year at u20 with same management was abysmal, despite on paper a very decent squad).

Wexford despite beating us at minor are only ok, beat both Laois and Dublin by a point. If we beat them we should have no fears of Limerick, we beat them by 12 pts at minor and they wont have Cathal O' Neill for final either.

The two big favourites for U20 this year, Galway and Cork, are gone, and we have a squad that has lost no one due to senior rule, so anything short of a win now would be disapointing.

Hmmmm I'm not so sure about all that. Have you watched Limerick at U20 this year? They have looked the best team in the competition so far, I don't think what happened 3 years ago has any relevance to what will happen this year.

Regarding the U20 management team - I'd agree that last year was abysmal but they produced a performance when really needed the other night, there's no question about that. So they do deserve credit. All three are committed to the cause without big inflated egos and have clearly created a huge spirit within that group of players. They also made good changes as the game went on which shows that they were aware of what was happening on the field.

I personally doubt the missing Galway players would have made a huge difference on the night. It seems Shefflin has these on board for the long term rather than what they are really going to contribute presently. Greg Thomas is on that senior panel and he was poor the other night and got taken off.

Something which has been ignored here has been Cody/Kilkennys decision NOT to bring any U20s players in this year. He has spoken in the past about how he would prefer players get a full education at this grade before moving up to senior. There jave been rate exceptions down through the years, but not too many in fairness.

After an indifferent start they really fought their way back into that game and should probably have won late on in normal time before it even got to extra time.

If the U20s can get over Wexford(by no means s guarantee) then I think we play Tipp isn't it? So that's at least 2 competitive games for this relatively young squad which will be of enormous benefit for their development.

No, Tipp are gone and Limerick await winners of Leinster Final.

2019 Al Minor is relevant, it is largely the same personnel, so if we get to final and are beaten, quite simply Limerick have kicked on far better than us, and that would have to be a concern.

I haven't been blown away by Limerick at U20, they are playing with the confidence that is surging through the county at present and played two matches (including the final) at home. Clare were much the better team in their first match. I didn't see Cork match but I know very little was expected of that Tipp team.

On any reasonable formline a team you beat at minor by 12 points (and now down its best player), you should beat 3 years later at U20. Galway also beat Limerick in minor 2020 by 15 pts. So this Limerick team is an amalgamation of two teams beaten in 2 AI semis by 12 and 15 points and now down its best player. If they win it out, we should therfore all be scared at what Limerick's are doing in the developement of 18-20 year olds. The difference in physique in likes of Cathal O' Neill and Colin Coughlan in space of 2 years is staggerring.

On senior call ups, there is no one on Kilkenny U20 that should be near senior team, the best players are at least u19 with a few even u18. The most physically powerful player on team Joe Fitzpatrick is in 5th year in school.

Galway also have a leaving cert in their panel.

Your message above seemed like a bit of an unnecessary dig at Shefflin to be honest.

The problem with the minor form line from three years ago is that after Wexford beat us fairly comfortably in the Leinster final, we went into a round robin with Galway and Clare (Munster runners up). I would suggest that the two extra games brought us on a lot. The two provincial champs got hockeyed in the semis after going without a competitive game while we got two extra. As far as I can see only seven of the fifteen that started against Limerick three years ago started against Galway a few days ago. 3 and 6 are clearly up to the job. After that though the jury is out for me.

Just because a team beats a team at minor doesn't just mean they will definitely beat them 3 years later at U20. If only life was that simple! Teams develop, some players improve while others regress which is all perfectly normal and the way it always was.

We have a big enough job for starters just beating Wexford this Monday which is no guarantee. There would be a big mental and physical come down after last Mondays heroic effort.

Good post

I don't think anyone is getting too carried away with the win but it was just such an important win and after the few beatings they got off Galway at minor it was a big relief. You'd have to admire them the way they hung in and kept coming back and finished the better, infact we drove 3 wides at the end of normal time to clinch it.People are happy for the lads over it aswell all sound lads. What impressed me was the subs and management have a few decisions to make. This team isn't the best team of all time but if they can get the win next Monday and get to a once off who knows. Sean mcdonagh was a class minor alright and a big loss no doubt.its a pity shine will probably be gone for a while.Couple of positives was Tallis who is so confident and joe Fitz who is a big man. Billy Drennans free taking was exceptional I think he only dropped one short which the goal came from.Clifford got a few points and was unlucky with the pass from dunne he could of got a goal. That win and a monkey off their back could give them confidence. Wexford are no world beaters either.

The minors have reacted to the goals conceded and changed the goalie and full back for tomorrow's knock out game against laois. Derek mcgrath is involved with laois

exactly my thinking too

Minors Currently live on TG4 YouTube

Lost by 3 points to Laois