Kilkenny GAA Thread

I don't think so .70 x 40 astro is all

I agree we need a bit of a rebuild. Where id be critical is Derek went back with Cody's team last year and it didn't improve but to go back with Cody's team two years later is very poor and of course we took a step backwards. People saying cork going long with ball. There's a huge difference going long with 3 inside compared to us retreating and pumping ball up 2v1. Absolutely criminal this day and age. i hope theres alot of work going on behind the scenes to get the right people involved in teams. Someone said that the underage management could get another year with tweaks. That wouldn't shock me but if that happens it would be scandalous. Ben o Connor stepped down from cork u20 and they appointed a new manager. Why can't we appoint management that will take it all the matches and not scutter around in October when lads are committed to different teams.

No surprise it seemed like he only wanted the job to keep up his public profile

The management team before him were top notch it was always a step down when he took the job

The current squad are ageing and lack experience in comparison to previous years

Yep .. .Thats it shur, int it lad….

'Demand' - do you know for a fact that thats a tactic ?

Or is it more that the Hurling clubs are happy (?) to share their grounds with another code of the National game ?

Fionan Mackessy was playing and to be honest he will need to step it up a lot from the level he showed last night. He's touch was poor he took his few points well but he was well marshalled by Evan Cody and Cillian Buckley. If any one was thinking he might be an option for Kilkenny (although I don't know why we would) I'd say last night would dispel a lot of that but there's a long way to go. I'm sure he'll play better when he get up to the speed of it but he definitely didn't wow me as a hurler. As physical specimen he's a huge man and looks very fit but as a hurler he'll need to tighten up his touch a lot to play at the top end of senior in Kilkenny.

OLG are on what I would see as the slightly easier side of the draw with Ballyhale providing the only serious threat to them so they should be in a league or shield final with a buy to the quarter finals. Owen Wall did very well last night and looked a serious threat more so than last year at this stage the intercounty work hasn't hurt him at all. J Molloy was very good too when introduced. L Hogan was poor and and didn't look like a lad playing with confidence. No sign of Heary and the other established KK men last night for OLG. If Mackessy can chip in with 2-3 points every day and the rest of the OLG crowd play to the same level that will likely be enough and should help them push very close to retaining their title. Forwards were there achilles heel last year and I don't think he's a cert to succeed but it could well be enough to see them over the line again.

I was guessing the same with the team against Dublin, an All star of 2 years ago brought on in last 10 minutes would of seemed that way.

Fionn is a fine specimen and a strong hurler but didn't stand out for me. Took frees when Sean Bolger went off but had a huge slice on his shots

Thanks very much and great insight as always. He is a huge man alright but his hurling can improve.As you said its early days and he could go better when o loughlins get their full team. It should be a help to o loughlins no matter what and maybe the talk of representing kk was a bit far fetched.We all know theres a big gap from playing with kerry to playing the top teams.What position did he play? The village will be under pressure again this year after losing a few players. Some good young lads coming but that's a few years off. The boro will surely look at how close their neighbours came to winning the all ireland and they should get a lift from it. There's a conveyor belt of young lads and they really need to get over the line. I think they will have learned a good bit from last year's defeat. Management got their match ups wrong and were too slow to change. Is it the same backroom team for the boro? They could have an All ireland winner in their back room team after Sunday. He is a highly regarded coach. C

Are the Boro short a good few from last year? Some of there main men, Kenny, Gaffney etc?

OLG look v strong with new addition

Do shamrocks have a few back, if so they will be determined to get back to the top

Bridge have a good mix especially if they can keep first 15 fit and healthy

who are the village after losing this year? they might need a few young lads

He was named left wing forward but played mainly right or centre forward. It will be interesting to see how he goes once they get up and going but when he was marked aggressively (which he will be in Kilkenny) he's ability to win the ball was not great.

I think most clubs have lost a lot of lads to immigration, I think the difference with the Village is they didn't have great depth to begin with and with 3-4 of their better player gone the closet is fairly bare. They do have a great young crop coming through but it's a big ask for them to come into senior and make a big impact, most are just out of minor.

The Boro have lost 3 starters and were down 10+ of this years players for Tuesdays match, so I was happy to see them win. The biggest loss for the Boro will be Tom Kenny he was huge for us last year but we probably have the backs to cover. The loss of Andy Gaffney and Aidan Nolan will be hard to compensate for in the forwards although I was heartened to see the young lads play well albeit against a weakened O'Loughlins defence. The likes of Sean Keenan, Kevin Moore and Matty Kelliher all got stuck in and did well for their first big game at senior. One swallow doesn't make a summer though and in the white heat of actual championship it will be tougher but they might be good options from the bench. The Boro will have a strong team no doubt but it will likely be a lot less experienced with the loss of the likes of Conor Doheny, Chris Kavanagh, Alan Phelan, Kevin Kenny, Evan Carroll, Robbie Fitzpatrick, and Robbie Murphy over the last few years, along with the 3 mentioned before. Obviously I'd love to see them do it but with the amount of young lads having to play it might be a big ask this early in their senior careers.

There was only one change to the Boro backroom team this year that I heard of, which was a local coaching swap. Donal might have a senior All Ireland under his belt on Sunday, which never hurts.

ye I’d agree about the Boro I was impressed the other night, they were up for it and have blooded a few players and anyway it’s about time the young guns are given there chance.they are thrown in at the deep end. Now that’s not to say Gaffney ,Kenny and Aiden Nolan will be missed, of course they will but we’ll have to get on with it .

Maybe its all shite but I'm only saying what I was told. The club scene won't commence for a few weeks. We will know in a few weeks if this is true or not because if he was going to do it you would expect it to be done before or at the early stage of the club scene. I think he was appointed in August. Kk job is still a attractive job but there's a rebuild on now and that's why it wouldn't surprise me if Derek didn't want that and a few bad results. We take leinster for granted but imagine what knifes would be out of we didnt get out of the group.Tj will be some loss if he goes. I know players will always come and go.Scruff would also be a loss if rumours are to be believed.We havent even a free taker to step up which is very poor but we need new players and if we are done for a few years so be it. I agree I wouldn't be afraid of Tom mullally and definitely Tommy Shefflin and paddy mullally would be as good as what's there but kk county board should be going after these lads now for minor and u20 positions.I'd have zero faith in the county board. I think if Lyng does stay he will definitely have to freshen up the back room team. It's being too predictable and stale.Freshness is needed.

You’d imagine a man who has starred for Kerry against Carlow in the Joe McDonagh cup (the same Carlow who drew with Kilkennny this year) would have no problem at all playing in the Kilkenny senior championship.

I’d imagine it won’t take Mackassey long to stand out for OLG after a few matches.

I think Owen Wall could have a big year, his pace is frightening.

Owen should have been brought on v Clare, Wally Walsh and Fogarty were not the answer.

Wouldnt be surprised to see him go. The pressure is immense. Obvious choice would be Henry and thats the way the CB would probably go. My preference would be for him to stay on as i think he deserves another year. Last year was consistant and there was no shame losing to Limerick as we gave them a game for 60 mins. This year has being more cold than hot IMO.

Another thing is if Derek goes dont be surprised if Cody comes back. I wouldnt rule it out.

Why do people think the senior backroom is stale? They all came on board with Lyng last year except for Phelan who was there with Cody. I just don't get where the perception of staleness comes from.

I'd expect Bergin to stay on if he wants it. Massive overlap of players from last year, knows the players, they've been training a certain way etc etc versus bringing in someone new and having to start from scratch. Whether he should be kept on is a different conversation but I can see him staying on if he wants it.

Re: U20 being a talented group. Isn't this the side that lost to Laois?