Kilkenny GAA Thread

Agree with you. Players are the ones that matter most and they overwhelmingly support the split season. Perhaps,they might put the All Irelands back a week or two, but clubs deserve at least 5 of the 12 months. The ones most adversely affected and upset by the split are the national Gaa media (Dalo etc) , but they need to up their game on club coverage.

The Only way to spread that out more is shorten the league, League is way too long for a secondary competition and most teams don't really care, I think Div 1a teams next year play 7 games atleast, contrast that to the championship where if you lose 1st 2 games unlikely to get through (Cork being the exemption of that a few times).

4 League games and a final is enough in my opinion.

This is nearly a bit of a rebuild now. We all agree he has being very slow to pick and stick with change so that's why I wouldn't be surprised if it was given to someone else for 3-5 year. If scruff,lawlor and tj also go it's a huge amount of experience gone from the squad and a bigger job than we might of thought. Who the next management could be is anyones guess but we can take it derek iss staying. A few fresh faces to the backroom team is definitely needed so hopefully theres lots of work going on behind the scenes. Im on the same page as Marrooned regarding the county board being backward and he raised a very valid point regarding free taking for the senior its going to be a big concern. Eoin cody might take them for a few rounds of the league for the shamrocks while tj is being rested. Hopefully a bit of forward thinking means he will spend alot of his spare time in the shamrocks pitch practicing frees like his uncle done years ago. It will be intresting to see the various management teams especially the u20. Would the county board approach henry for this one?Pace was one thing this year but the winners have a bench that make a impact and change game and we hadn't got that. As others have said the team and 3 or 4 subs were known months ago. Building and trusting a panel will be huge next year. The subs shouldn't weaken a team. I heard joey holden and ronan corcoran are home for shamrocks. They will be as hungry as ever to win again this year. Yes fionn macekssey will have to settle into kk Club hurling but I'd be surprised if he wasn't good enough to make the kk panel if he made himself available. How long is he in kk or is the plan to play for kerry next year? I have seen him play for kerry and he definitely is a good hurler.He should be a big addition anyway.Chris Nolan of carlow would have no problem making the kk team if he lived a few minutes down the road from borris. Must be plenty of money up in antrim davey and Anthony Nash strongly tipped to be heading north. Davey would have the Glen boys all fired up for the cats up there. So he will.

You can be solid jaysus certain of it.

He'll **** up their bank account too.

Ballyhale Shamrocks still team to beat once the championship proper starts.

Dicksboro, OLG & Bennettsbridge will all hope for good runs and more if things went their way.

Any of the other teams first priority will be to avoid bottom 2 in their group. Clara & Erins Own might be in bother if early results go badly.

Teams are bound to pick up injuries given the schedule so a decent panel will be essential.

It will be interesting to see how Thomastown get on, they have been putting up big scores the last 12 months. Tullaroan were impressive 2 years ago but dissappointed last year. Graig Ballycallan had some promising youngsters last year, wonder will they progress. Mullinavat could be in the regulation battle but they are fighters. James Stephens threw in the towel against Ballyhale last year, first time I ever saw a whole team do that. I agree that Clara could be in trouble, not sure if they have anyone coming through. Hard to see outside Boro, OLG and Shamrocks. The glut of matches plays into the hands of the clubs with the deepest panels which would be Boro and OLG. The Bridge would need to avoid any injuries to have any chance. Comer don't have the forwards. Glenmore should pick up a couple of wins to see them safe but like a lot of clubs will be nervous if they lose their first match. Can't wait for throw ins

The vast majority of clubs in the north of the county have been struggling and not producing many county standard players. Galmoy, Johnstown, Urlingford, Freshford, Lisdowney, Ballyragget, Conahy, Cloneen, Castlecomer and Muckalee in that area. Castlecomer the only senior club, Lisdowney have had recent success. The rest are surviving in intermediate or junior clubs.

First became aware of Cillian Buckley at primary schools hurling. One of the very best at that age. He continued to show his class right up to this year. The resilience and dedication to come back time and again from injury that would finish many another. He was a class act in full flow and hopefully we can see plenty more of him with the Boro.

UCC picked Joe Fitzpatrick at wing back this year ahead ofEoin Downey. Downey will be 2024 All Star full back whileJoe Fitz wasn't deemed good enough for our u20 panel.

In general, I wouldn’t worry too much about Fitzgibbon, the 4main teams that still take it seriously are based in Limerick, Cork and Galway,schools that have always had low number of Kilkenny students.

The Fitzgibbon’s impact as a senior breeding ground is probably over, managers are sick it and it’s made for early season seriousinjuries, especially as it is barely refed and a lot of heavy stuff is let go.I feel it has been in decline for a few years.

Watched Tullaroan v Dicksboroon on Clubber, very good game. Mossy tremendous, P Walsh excellent, Gearoid Dunne v good but shooting let him down. Cillian Walsh got two goals and might be one to watch, I was very impressed when he came on in colleges final in Croke Park,think he's only 18.

Boro lack leaders and overplay it, Shine as usual mixing good with bad. Lots of good players but not enough really good ones, same old same old. They will be at the business end but doubt they will win out.

A few matches including Glenmore v Bridge postponed until Tue evening. Little over 3 day turnaround until second matches for these teams

As far as I counted it the Boro had 8 goal chances they missed or were saved. Paul Buggy shouldn't have to buy a drink this weekend in Tullaroan he was great for them after a hard start to the game. Mossy was excellent throughout and Pádraig stood up when really needed. I'm sure they'll be a small bit concerned how they were cut open so many times at the back but they showed Greta heart and fight throughout and brought great physicality that the Boro could handle but didn't replicate.

There are a good few still away or injured for the Boro and many of those playing last night were either just back from abroad or injury and it showed in what I would usually expect from them. They are a young team and everyday out will bring them on but adding in Buckley and Evan Cody to the back 6 will hopefully tighten that up. The Boro for years have gone unbeaten in the League and winning League titles, I'd prefer to see the build towards Championship rather than hitting the road running. Good displays from Rowe, K Moore, M Kelliher and Shine. The next day will be tough again with more lads missing but as long as they keep improving I'd be happy. At least they were making goal chances. The day they get them all will be a hard day for another team. The will have to up their intensity and aggression against the top teams and I felt they played too much short passing for the slippery and slick conditions last night, Tullaroan we're ruthless and punished them everytime the Boro weren't clinical.

If Tullaroan can keep up the type of performance going forward they will do well in the League this year and should push far into the championship. They will have to tighten up at the back a bit or Paul Buggy will have to be the hero everyday.

OLG comfortably ahead at half time 9 up against Clara who had the wind in the first half. Missing Paddy Deegan too, F Mackessy hasn't lit it up so far but is probably creating space for the other forwards with the need to watch him. Luke Hogan scored and created their goals.