Kilkenny GAA Thread

Inter county football has been destroyed by over coaching , Inter county hurling is saved by the fact that it's just such a fast game it can't be over coached ,much as Davy Fitz and Derek Mcgrath and people like that would like it to be.

A few weeks ago there was talk of lyng stepping down but things have gone quite since. Theres also talk of scruff finishing and huw lawlor going travelling. Buckley,fogarty and wally are certain to go so there will be a shake up next year.If derek is going to go it will be over the next few weeks.He will get another year if he wants it but my opinion is s&c will have to be changed along with freshness to the backroom team. They're together for a few years u20 aswell. Tactically its an area we need to improve even if this means going outside the county or getting ideas from a different sport. I did hear mick fennelly had a lad from basketball who he had in offally in with the development squads but was told by our county board to stop bringing him wasting money.We were all disappointed with the semi final defeat. They will be forced to try lads next year with the retirements,something the management have failed to do over the last two years. He tried to get one more squeeze out of codys team last year but going with the very same team this year was never going to work.Yes the players have to take responsibility for the missed chances and not scoring for the last 17 minutes but the management didnt do much to improve it on the day but we knew after last year's all ireland he simply had to try find a few players.We could all see that retreating and hitting the ball to 2v1 wasn't working it's disappointing we reverted again to this when the pressure came on. . People will debate are the players there but Wall and Murphy were discarded after a poor outing in parnell Park. Molloy was unlucky with the injury but definitely should of being brought on to give us a bit of legs.. I'm not saying we would of bet clare if these came on but we would of being better getting these lads exposed to bigger days. We seem slow to bring younger players through for whatever reason but the trust isnt there. We don't seem to be learning from our mistakes either and the team has regressed and unless Derek is going to be brave we will regress even further. We need to inject a bit of pace into the team but we arent getting enough from the forward but this isn't helped with some of the ball sent in. The forwards coaching department needs to be looked at. The defence coach should know the better quality of ball delivered will give the forward a better chance but alot of the time its a 50/50 ball. We have little movements for puckouts. It would be depressing to see no change to the senior set up but it wouldn't be suprising. S&C and Coach is priority but he has to get a shake upWill the county board be ruthless and accept things have to change?that the trend is going down. Have they went after s&c and selectors/coaches/goalkeeper coach that can improve the team before other counties start to prepare for next year.Have the county board approached someone like Brian dowling for the u20 Job or will they wait till October until people have committed to something else.This job has to be available so now is the time to be putting a team together even if they don't announce it for a few months.I know this years team was unlucky but this excuse has being used a long time now. I do think theres some good players on the u20 team like jeff neary and marty murphy who both should see action in a senior jersey next year.Was Tom or Paddy mullally asked before they go back with carlow? Eddie brennan would be a good lad to have around a team at some level or Tommy shefflin. David herity was doing goalkeeping coach recently. I know things didn't work out for Henry but it will be interesting to see will he get involved with a underage team .Another good weekend for the devolopment squads but this has be maintained and improved.I know there's good work going on from volunteers but its going on in all these top counties. We have to keep the standard high.It's the gap from 17-20 that our teams aren't kicking on like they should and are much slower to break into the senior team. This is also reflected in the small numbers playing 3rd level. This needs to be investigated. You would be hoping a very good u20 management crew is put together to try help this. I know it was a step below u20 but gortha and Chesney had the u19 playing nice hurling and there was some nice hurlers on it. Talking to a chap involved they really enjoyed it. Maybe they should stay at this level if the suitable candidates are got for the u20. Looking forward to the club starting up. I know alot of teams affected by immigration. Intermediate is very open. Danesfort,tullogher,lisdowney along with others will fancy their chances. I heard Colin fennelly done his cruciate I'm not sure If he was finished anyway.i like Daragh corcoran at 3 and if huw does go he will have to be tried there. Darren Mullen is still travelling. Clara could be under pressure alot of their stalwarts have huge milage. All eyes will be on loughlins new recruit fionn macekssey and if he went well could he represent kk next year.alot of their players got county experience. David fogarty would make a good attacking corner back for kk .Thomastown are a exciting team and should hold their own at this level.. Boro missing a few but have the talent. I think they will learn alot from last year and the run o loughlins went on will give them belief.Glenmore will hope to improve from last year. Ian byrne and alan murphy are two good fowards.kk need timmy clifford,podge moylan,niall rowe,denis walsh,stephen donnelly,david fogarty,billy drennan,jeff neary,marty murphy,paul cody,ian byrne to really stand up and force their way into consideration and lyng to really trust these lads in a kk jersey.

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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.

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.