Kilkenny GAA Thread

Is there any loss that the people off the pitch aren't responsible for??? Like Ive seen you blame management teams and coaching staff for u17, u20, kk senior, kk camogie and Dicksboro seniors in the last fortnight. How about the players take some of the responsibility?

Do you really expect a team to dominate an All Ireland semi final for 70 minutes? KK dominated for 50, and totally dominated and it is the players who didn't take the chances. We missed 1 on 1 goal chances, took the wrong options when easy points were on, stood to shoot and were blocked etc… All management can do is get them playing a style of hurling that gets them to create good scoring opportunities which they did, they had enough chances in the opening 50 minutes to win the game twice. The idea that Micky Comerford of all people is to blame is laughable, as is the idea that management haven't worked on their style of play… Like people were calling for Eoin Murphy to be dropped after the Carlow game summed up some of the analysis on here, the man after winning 2 all stars in the last 3 or 4 years… Has anyone mentioned the frees missed in the last 15 mins? Is this the coaches fault too?

On to the u20s, I dont know a whole about the personnel on the starting 15 like many seem to do here but I do know that that Offaly team should have won a minor All Ireland 3 years ago and beat everyone else comfortably. Why were we "expected" to win that game? Even at that, how can Mark Dowling be responsible for a missed penalty and a player hitting the crossbar for point blank range with a goal at his mercy as well as other easy chances? Again there was more than enough chances created to win the game. Making Dowling 100% responsible seems personal to me.

Were the Dicksboro seniors not 3points up going into the final few minutes in the county quarter final? How did management get their match ups wrong for most of the game if they were in front with a few minutes to go against Ballyhale of all teams and a bit of individual brilliance from the shamrocks pulled victory from the jaws of defeat.

One poster here criticised the minors for bringing a player back on that was taken off, saying it never works…. Do people realise that Woodock brought on at least 2 players that he had already taken off? And he is hailed as a hurling genius here.

As for your constant constant criticism of the county board. How about you go down to your club agm and get nominated as the club rep for the county board and go in and do something about it?? You don't need an degree to get involved….

As for some of the names mentioned above as replacement managers, did Eddie Brennan not get a minor team that won an All Ireland beat by Westmeath at u21 level? Brian Hogan also lost a club All Ireland against 14 men for most of the game…. my point is no manager has a prestine record and if they were appointed, one bad result and the whining etc would start again here.

I come on here to read opinions on kilkenny hurling and to see 100 plus posts from the same 2 people whinging about managers, coaches, S&C teams and the county board over and over again is depressing…. Make your point and move on, you don't need to reinforce that point everyday of every week.

Theres a lot in this but absolutely the players have to take responsibility but the management is responsible for having them best prepared,implementing the game plan and tactics amd getting the best out of the team that is selected. Kk seniors have regressed in the 2 years with the very same team. Derek lyng isn't responsible for our lads lumping ball up 2v1 getting overturned and resulting in a few of clares points but he is responsible for not bringing on freshness. Kk have died out of games the last few years,gave away big leads so the idea of questioning Michael Comerford isn't farfetched. Eoin Murphy is one of the best shot stoppers in the country but there's no doubt his puckouts can be absolutely woeful. Tj shouldn't of took them long range frees against clare. Murphy should of took them. I actually think the 700 points thing hung over tj and pat hogan this year.

The county board is a complete shambles I think we all agree on that. They appoint convenient people who suit their style The boro last year got their match up with Adrian Mullen and didn't change it til the second half after he got about 1-4. The whole place could see a change was needed earlier.

No manager will have a great record and managers and players improve with experience but mark dowlings time in charge can only be described as catastrophic and he was never the right guy for the job. The minors might of exceeded expectations getting to the final but to get a home final with 2 extra players,the manner of the defeat was very poor. There's a reason why kk are 10 years without a minor and senior all ireland and 1 u21/20 in sixteen years because people here think some are too hard on county board and management and things are grand. Things are not grand.Theres a lot of things wrong. Is it 3 of the last 5 u20 all irelands cork won? Kk need to appoint the right people at underage. I don't know if they would appoint Henry.

I agree with a lot of this but I don't think it's fair to say they haven't worked on a style of play, they have absolutely tried mixing it up a lot more. There is a lot more short passing, a lot more running off the shoulder etc, things that would have been alien to most of this kk team under Cody's reign. They carried out that exceptional well in an All Ireland semi final against a good Clare team for 50 mins put didn't show it on the scoreboard.

As for freshening it up. With what players? If the older players are still out performing the younger lads in training matches etc then they have to play. You can only go with what you see in training and if thats what they see then thats what they see. They are looking to win the All ireland too. It's up to the younger lads to make the team, remember TJ was 24/25 I think before he became a regular starter under Cody and he is one f the greatest ever.

Easy say the Boro management were slow to make changes but if you have your best man markers on Cody, Reid, Fennelly etc and they are keeping them reasonably quiet you would be reluctant to change. There is a lot of fires to put out. The boro were 3 points up with 5 or 10 to go and didn't have the composure to finish it off.

I don't know Mark Dowling either as it happens but why was he a disaster from the very start? They won their group games and were beaten by a superior Offaly team on paper in a match they nearly won or could/should have won?

That's fine, we all know what your thoughts are on it now.

edited

To be honest I wouldn't know personally but was told early in the year that Limerick, Tipperary, Galway and Cork were the 4 standout teams coming up and were expected to be in the shake up at minor level in 24.

You say you want to insult nobody yet repeatedly refer to the members of the county board as Clowns🤔 you name check Niall Bergin and Richie Mulrooney as part of your critique of Niall's time thus far with the kk minors. Both the above have done incredible work with underage and adult teams in schools ,clubs and County. Likewise Mark Dowling with Club and County. The under 20 defeat to Offaly was disappointing but nothing like as bad as you and a few others on here would have us believe. People like these are selfless and give their time for the betterment of Kilkenny hurling. All the above are not above comment and criticism but also deserve respect.

Some of the Mark Dowling stuff has been way over the top. That Offaly team more fancied than kk at the start of the year. Beaten by the last puck of a ball in minor All Ireland 3 years previously and beaten in the u20 AllIreland the year before with a large amount underage again this year.

I would say I go to as many games as you, to all levels club and County but don't feel the need to shout it from the rooftops. The rot you refer to is in your mind. We lost a minor All Ireland, lost an All Ireland senior by 2 PTS and under 20 to the All Ireland champions by 1 point. I am and was as disappointed as any Kilkenny hurling supporter. We won 11 of the 23 All Irelands contested this century ,6 more than our nearest challengers. We could not hope to continue that level of success.It goes in cycles only ours from 2000 to 2015 surpassed anything ever achieved in the game. I see green shoots again in our younger teams including the under 20s and am hopeful for the future.

Did they not hammer Galway twice? You're hardly picking holes in those performances? We hadn't beaten Galway at minor in years…

If your issues are selection then thats fair enough, everyone has a different view there but you're not going to make many changes to a team that gets to an All Ireland in fairness…

Enjoy the pints, well earned today lol

I have to agree with Marrooned here.kk have standards and there's a couple of lads here are happy enough to get bet by the eventual finalists or not be so hard on the management team. Yes I said the u17 and u20 needs to be looked at. The u20 team was in a good place after winning the all ireland with most underage the next few years. We couldn't get out of leinster for 2 years. That in any man's language is poor. There was enough lads here saying last winter they couldn't go with that half back line. Offally wing forward had 1-2 off Langton in the first 20 mins. Center back gave away 2 fress for barging and steps it was so clumsy. The chap in goal couldn't even hold the hurl and didn't look related to a hurler.

Most people I meet at matches give out about the kk county board so it isnt only 1 or 2 people giving out. Full of yes men.We must be the only top tier county that has to go another county to train because we showed no innovation10 years ago.offally have a great set up and duignan drove that on.won a football and hurling u20 all ireland. Its some going when you have the right people in the county board. Cork are getting a return from all their underage success they are doing this a long time. We are just so slow to do anything. Mick fennelly is only partime is he? I remember counties coming to kk asking for bluprints how we do it. Now we are years behind other counties and still havent got a proper training facility. This is a joke.The main Sponsorship more could be got. I know a competitor of glanbia offered to give thousands for a bit of sponsorship but were told no way because they didnt want to offend tirlan,We turned away that scoreboard. The horror show that went on in Carlow this year. Giving away home advantage.very mean when it comes to money. It was well publicised that when lyng wanted extra gym facilities for the u20 he was told he better win something now because this is costing us money. No way I've nothing good to say about the county board. They have made so many mistakes I would run the lot of them because we couldn't be much worse.

Anyone else hear huw lawlor might be going travelling next year?

did we not absolutely **** away a semi final against clare?all the chances we missed along with finishing with braindead tactics and bringing on lads who were bet. Both defences today arevery open

Cork allowing them to be full flow. Poor defending on both sides. Extra time gone flat. Replay the better option.