Kilkenny GAA Thread

The word from cork is Evan Cody was playing fullback

why did we need him he playing for 5 years and you could never say he had a good game

I agree with Lawlor full back. In last years all Ireland Kilkenny put Lawlor on Gillane and went 15 on 15 and pushed up on Limerick. Lawlor had a fantastic game and did not need the extra protection, he is an outstanding full back. Deegan was the big problem that day

He was on the ball, about to rise / control it, was about to be challenged when he collapsed...looked like a twisted ankle or knee injury...good luck to him in his recovery, fine hurler.

At the moment it would be very hard to see Gearoid Dunne or Timmy Clifford nailing down a starting slot in the team. It really depends on how they go with the u20 campaign but probably getting a starting slot this year is a step too far.

Denis Walsh, Ted Dunne, Harry Shine and Cillian Hackett are a little further away at this point but they are probably the most likely candidates to be called up in the next year or 2. Ian Byrne from Glenmore was on that u20 team last year also.

What ever happened to Bill Sheehan? He played a couple of Walsh cup matches this year but seemed to disappear after that.He looked very promising a few years ago with Luke Scanlon from the village. Maybe they're seen as not being physical enough?

Bill was dropped after the Walsh Cup. He had a good day against Offaly and poor first half against Laois but Laois were rampant that first half, Gearoid Dunne capitalised on Laois's disintegration in the second half and while Bill was poor there plenty of others that weren't playing well the same half. He would have done well if he was on for that second half against Laois. He wasn't great against Wexford but again was far from the worst. Lyngs faith in his under 20's from last year meant a lot of the try-outs or lads who'd been on the edge of the panel a while got the flick.

I think Bill has great speed but was probably lacking the strength needed at the IC level. In fairness when he was in before under Cody he got a few goes in Walsh Cup and League matches but his striking wasn't up to it. He was let go and he worked very hard at his striking and while he is completely unorthodox he can score points from 50-60 yards out whereas they were dropping short, when he was in under Cody. For me the biggest asset of having Bill on the field as a forward is his work rate and speed to dispossess lads when he losses a tussle. A big defender might win the ball over him or physically push him out of the way but he will rarely get a clean strike away as Bill is on his heels hooking and tackling and when the ball goes to ground, he invariably wins it and can go on the attack again and is very effective at club level.

I think a good lot of this U20 crop probably have a good senior future ahead of them but they don't all have to make it next year or this year or even the next 3-4 years. It can take a good while to figure out senior hurling for young lads and they need to mature and develop as men and hurlers. If their ready great, if their not there's little point rushing them and destroying their confidence which they might never recover from.

In fairness to Killian Doyle he played really well for the U20's the last day after the debacle of being played to line out against Tipp. I would probably have had him as my Man of the Match ahead of Drennan.

I'm a big Drennan fan but again I'm not sure he's ready for the top level of senior yet. He has struggled from play against Tipp, Waterford, Cork and Limerick. It's not all his fault other than the Cork game those around him weren't great either any of those days. His biggest weakness is his lack of work rate when KK have lost the ball, he is very slow to chase a man in possession and his tackling is abysmal. He's chasing and tackling was non existent at the start of the league, he's at least making a bit of an effort at it now but he really needs to up this, to be worth a place in the starting team.

Once TJ is back we don't need Drennan for free taking and if he's not working off the ball and he can't contribute from play against the top teams he's a luxury that we can't afford in the latter end of the Championship. This is not to say I don't like him I think he's supremely talented and is going to be a top hurler for us for the next decade plus but I wouldn't be relying on him for championship this year which a lot of people are. I think physically he's struggling against the best, which is fair enough as he's so young yet but he's also struggling a bit when the intensity ratchets up and that might just be he hasn't had enough conditioning yet and I think he will be much better next year and beyond from open play.

It's not meant too be a criticism just a reality check.

From what I've heard, hurling wise Corcoran and P Mullen are flying it but it's the conditioning level they were finding it hard to get to the required level for inter county midfield which is very high. They might not play a huge roll this year if they can't get to the level but fingers crossed they might by the summer. I think R Corcoran has been the best midfielder in the county for the last 3 or 4 years. Paddy since he has started to take it more seriously has the potential to be a beast it just might be from the bench this year for both.

Mossy and deegan got a lot of game time under Brian Cody and you could put Billy Ryan in that category. Donnelly was more of a a sub.

Weather we like it or not a couple of these lads will start most matches this year. We haven't got a huge panel to pick from. No matter what some lads say here Carey,Browne and Leahy were experienced squad players.

We all agree a few of our players should of taken another step by now and be more consistent I'm hoping the new management will be quicker to put the arm around the shoulder. Players from different counties like David Fitzgerald of clare and Tom monaghan of galway have being on the panel a few years but took their game to another level last year.

I do agree with ya that we need to get as many lads from this crop of u20s. If we have a full squad available and got a bit of luck we could get a good run again. The few lads might not be ready this year for senior but if we were to win the all Ireland u20 them returning to the senior would surely be a help. We definitely got a kick from the all Ireland win last year.

I still think we will have to have a bit of patience with drennan. He was a only a freshers hurler last year.He is a unbelievable free taker but he has good vision and isn't greedy. He has a lot to learn and this was highlighted in Barry Nash goal. He will learn from all these big days and he will know this part of the game is as important and he has to improve in this area.He has made a huge effort already and has filled out alot since last year.ive no doubt he will up his workrate when he hasnt the ball.

I'd expect more or less the same players as last year and a few of them in different positions. Kk will want to try go for the jugular and finish this game early because the longer it goes on the harder it could get.They gave us enough of it last year in the first half and tj was sprung at half time. Joe fortune is a good manager but hard to see anything other than a kk victory.

Someone asked above about a few players. Sean Morrissey isn't on the panel and Bill Sheehan,James bergin and brassil aren't on the panel. Shane walsh has being in and out and Is probably better suited to the harder ground.He has being very consistent at club level the last few years but is finding the step up difficult at the moment.Hopefully he might get a run this weekend.

Good news.

Billy drennan picked up a leg injury and was in a boot earlier in the week. I don't know how serious it is

Back of the Indo today by Michael Verney

Kilkenny blow as Drennan suffers leg injury that could end his summer

FEARS are growing that Kilkenny hotshot Billy Drennan could face a spell on the sidelines as it is understood that he suffered a leg injury in recent days.

Kilkenny boss Derek Lyng was expected to hand Drennan his Kilkenny senior championship debut against Westmeath in Saturday's Leinster clash after he excelled in their league campaign.

The Galmoy ace clocked a whopping 2-70 (51f, 6 '65, 1-0 pen) in his debut NHL season to be crowned the top scorer in Division 1 but he could miss out on championship action if reports coming from Noreside are confirmed.

Drennan, who was integral to Kilkenny's All-Ireland U-20 success last year under Lyng, fired 2-12 in Kilkenny's Leinster U-20 victory over Galway last Saturday but he could now miss out.

Am I right in saying teams have to submitted by Thursday and teams will be announced the following day?

No Paddy Deegan for tomorrows game did he pick up an injury last weekend? Surprised to see Clifford starting thought they would have left him with the U-20's.

Murphy,

Butler, Lawlor, T Walsh

Blanchfield, R Reid, P Walsh

D Corcoran, P Mullen

Clifford, A Mullen, Donnelly

Ryan, TJ, Cody

Not sure what all the worrying about the U20s is for. The Senior team is the top team and if a lad is good enough he should be playing with seniors as priority. Also it means another player will be getting the chance to develop with the 20s.