Kilkenny GAA Thread

Just on the players coming through for Limerick people seem to think these players are as good as the original 15 to 17 players but these will be found to be not as good when they will take over , just like our own players who we thought were going to take over were good but they were not as good as what they were replacing.

Absolutely

What's their reasoning?

Let's not pretend that going back to U18 is this amazing thing with no downside. It will have a positive impact for the vast majority of that age group who aren't ready for adult hurling but the elite lads at that age will need to be protected. All of a sudden they're going to be eligible for their club minor, their main adult club team and every Junior team in the club. Marry that with schools hurling at the start and end of a calender year, club U21 and then the really good ones potentially with county U20. And then those born in the first quarter of the year potentially in their LC year as well.

Granted its only one additional team than the current arrangement if they're still eligible for minor but how many gobshites are in charge of club minor teams who'll expect that lad to train with the team etc

With regards the county board they probably just want to mirror the intercounty set up.

I think the Bord Na nOg side of things are definitely dead set against it and as I said their representative, who was only meant to be giving facts and details of the current format, was making it very clear of his opposition to the change. I think the ship has already set sail on going back to even age grades, I'd be shocked if it doesn't go through on the 4th.

Incidentally, at that meeting Phil Hogan is to give a report on his efforts to gain funding and a further update is to be given on the plans for flood lighting Nowlan Park, etc..

Kilkenny county board do not want to go against Croke Park who are pushing u17, with Ned Quinn in a high position up there it also makes things complicated for him, Croke Park have always looked after Kilkenny be it funding, downplaying football etc., they do not want to upset the hand that feeds them. There will be a big push behind closed doors to get this defeated and get the attention away, maybe the role of Phil Hogan on the night will be a distraction and get this out of the limelight if it fails. Clubs will want to have there ducks in order to make sure this gets over the line.

Huw Lawlor is something else lads.

The Kilcormac Full forwards tried on him today never felt the weight of the ball.

O’Loughlins defence is awesome, as good a club side defence I’ve witnessed.

Their forwards hit a lot of terrible wides though.

Wexford man here, I was actually at the Tullogher game today. It was a real battle with only 1 point in it with 5 left on the clock but from there Colman O'Sullivan and Conor Hennessy took the game by the scruff of the neck and drove Tullogher over the line after they had been 6 up with 15 minutes left. Craanford hurled with a sweeper and Tullogher found it tough to break that down with all bar 3 of their first half total from dead balls, but a fussy ref did contribute to that. In that first half Glennon (can't remember his first name) caused all the problems for Craanford but the change of corner backs put some manners on him. Ultimately Tullogher were the better team and just about shaded it. A Tullogher man told me they were missing Marty Murphy who would seemingly be a huge loss, but Craanford were without Aodhan Whitty who was by far their best player all year and they looked toothless up front without him, despite the best efforts of Craanfords Kilkenny import, Jason Byrne from Clara.

Thomastown must be the best intermediate champions we’ve had in Leinster in a long long time! Good win for O’Loughlins up in Tullamore todsy, Conor Heary man of the match again, he must be an option for the forwards with kk next year

I'd say Heary was played in the backs because he is a back. O'Loughlins have pushed himself and Paddy Butler up in to the forwards in the last few years.

Buckley and Forgarty to follow suit. Don't understand what benefit these players will bring and if someone says experience so help me god

Exactly….well said.

Exactly. I would also add that the experience of.a young lad watching how the older lads train and seeing what is required of them and indeed marking them in training has to help bring them on..we don't have many All Ireland winners left on the panel and that experience is in my opinion invaluable

Precisely.

As for taking the place of younger lads - there was over forty on the panel throughout last year and it looks like we'll have something similar this year.

In addition, the under 20 panel will have at least thirty players. We hardly have more than seventy players of county standard in Kilkenny!

Some poster(s) needs to get a grip.

Waterford vote to keep minor at U17