Kilkenny GAA Thread

Poor match in Corrigan Park. Standard was poor . Billy Drennan is a massive positive. Great to see a natural forward come along, along with the Ballyhale Shamrocks players he will be a massive addition.

Billy wasn't at near his best today but not too many lads were. Mossy and a few more loo to be doing a lot of conditioning work. An awful lot of short stray passes buy its the 1st week in February so certain allowances have to be made there. Conditions today were awful. Drennan definitely a threat and come the summer he won't be too far away.

I thought cian Kenny did well. We had struggles, went fifteen minutes without a score at one stage although Antrim weren't able to make us pay when they pushed up on us and put the pressure on. I liked that we were clearly working on a style of play for the summer and didn't just abandon it because the weather didn't suit it. Very little intensity to the match though, plenty more to learn.

Thoroughly agree. We were playing a lovely brand of smart hurling and doing very well during the first. We seemed to be playing against the wind in the first half and AGAIN in the second half when it became very blustery with heavy rain. It was a case of digging in and getting a result showing great character. Padraig Walsh and C Buckley showed great leadership and Billy Drennan was well able to mix it. H Lawlor, B Ryan and M Keoghan have had very little, if any, action so far so today will stand to them. Niall Rowe is settling in well and showing great hunger.

A hard fought and deserved win.

By the way, been at the match I certainly could see plenty of intensity.

From talking to a lad at the game Kierans can have no complaints. They hit alot of ball into their sweeper. Young Minogue had a short puckout intercepted by screeney who buried it and kierans were a bit reliable on Ted dunne.Ben whitty and harry shine obviously two huge losses.They go into the quater finals now. It wouldn't shock anyone if they end up in the final but they will need everyone hurling well.

An experimental u20 team played cork this evening before the senior game I don't know how it went but with lads involved with kierans and the seniors plenty of new lads are getting a chance to impress

I'd say Lyng would of took the hand off a win on the way up. Its a hard place to get a result as clare and wexford found out. It's the first day out and of course things aren't going to perfect. We fluffed a few goal chances and antrim could of being closer but we'll take the win and any positives and move on.No one will be talking about this match in a few weeks.Tipp next Sunday will be another good test especially for the newer lads. Tallis,rowe,cody and drennan all hurled well so hopefully they stay improving and are options for us later in the year.

Kilkenny looked to be missing a lot alright. The question is will the guys playing senior right now end up playing U20's at all this year? Is Harry Shine injured at present?

That's a particularly strong Offaly team backboned by the minors of last year, don't think its the norm just a 1 off, there was a Wexford schools team previously without good counsel and st peters players who were already playing in A competition, as they didn't make a big impression nobody barely even noticed. Schools like Keirans, Ard Scoil Ris etc. pouch players from other schools in their locality which probably isn't in the spirit of the competition either.

Plenty really, as I'm sure you gathered from other posters by now.

As Billy rightly said this isn't the norm with the offally school. It's a great bunch at the same age. Mick verney said next years squad is a lot weaker and the following year weaker again. We knew earlier this year this team would be involved and if it helps these offally chaps to stay hurling and try get back competing at the top table I'd be in favour.

Kierans always had pulling power if you want to call it that. Yesterday a chap from laois and carlow and over the years Brian Carroll and eoin Kelly. They won't get much sympathy because Ted dunne and Donagh Murphy left graig and borris to go into town.This debate has being had before other schools like comer and callan are suffering with the big pulling power of kierans. If whitty and harry are back I do expect them to give the all Ireland a big rattle.

On the u20 last night Mark dowling will be happy enough with the few kierans lads missing along with Denis Walsh who is recovering from a shoulder injury and rowe and drennan who are getting senior experience. Clifford is also in around the senior setup.He will be delighted to get gametime into joe Fitz and paddy Langton who missed alot of action last year.

I'd hope a few of the u20 can break into the senior squad but ultimately I'd expect them to concentrate on the u20s and hopefully go well in that and be an option around the latter stages of the leinster championship.

Deegan always stands out in the winter hurling early in the league. But come latter stages of championship always exposed. 4 out of the last 5 championship exits he has been destroyed. The exception 2019 v Tipp where the half back line of Fogarty, Walsh and Deegan were severely caught for pace

Well I hope Paddy Deegan doesn't read this thread for his own good, because one poster here never stops talking about how much he dislikes his hurling ability, you can say certain things about him but he certainly has no lack of pace or an engine for getting up and down the field.

Ted dunne was in school in graig and transferred to kierans the same as Murphy who was in school in borris. Kierans probably aren't alone in this I'd imagine it goes on in other big schools.

I'm quite sure he doesn't. And do you think he would lose a wink of sleep if he did? The poster in question has moved on to PD (who I would have in the team every time) now that Cody has moved on. He is nothing but a whinge bag so you can't take him(or her) too seriously...

There was and still could be a combined Wexford schools team. There is also a combined Kilkenny team (hurling c possibly?) So it's not unusual at all.

I think the system is fair enough. Combined schools play off for one semi final spot so combined teams will not dominate finals appearances ensuring traditional powers hold seeded positions in the competition.(I'm talking a level here) Combined schools cannot progress beyond lenister so again it ensures that traditional schools keep the status quo in reaching all Ireland's.

In reality there are only 4 schools capable of senior a hurling in lenister and anything that is fine to try improve on this should be encouraged. Hurling ppl have an awful habit of pulling up the ladder on those who threaten to climb up from below.