Kilkenny GAA Thread Part 2 **MOD NOTE POST 1***

Cornerback1

brookville wrote: »

Mark kelly has being in the running for the last couple of years but hasn't taking his chance .Personally I'd like to see kevin kelly or bolger given a chance and I'm sure brian will look at all his options. This time last year most people wouldn't of expected ger to have the year he had and I'm sure whoever is given the jersey will work as hard

True. I don't think i'd have picked Ger out this time last year. He took his chance. Same as Wally a few years ago.

Hopefully Brian will find someone else this year. I suppose the main thing is that someone now has the chance to push on and make a name for themselves. The opportunity is now there more than ever.

Cornerback1

adrian522 wrote: »

When people say "cruciate" do they mean ACL? OR do they also mean LCL, PCL and MCL as well? They are all ligaments in the knee but an ACL tear is much worse than the other two. You also have sprains which are not as bad as tears.

Cruciate seems to be a bit of a catch all.

I think all Gaa players at county level are overtrained esp. if you look at the training/game ratio.

I'd also put the emphasis on basic skills.

buggy beag

Cornerback1 wrote:

Terrible news for Ger and Glenmore of course. Pity he'll miss out on the club's big day. I hope Kevin Kelly gets a good run. Will Mark Kelly be in the running this year?

Are mark and kevin brothers?

tbiggertycome

buggy beag wrote: »

Are mark and kevin brothers?

They are not one is from Ballyregret and the others from O'Loughlins

Fierce hard luck on Ger and I wish him a speedy recovery, like them all he'll get the best of treatment, he might even get back for the end of the season.

Like many have said here you wouldn't have picked him out at this time last year as the lad ready to stand up. However I had been disappointed in his performances at Senior after the undoubted talent he had as an U21. In an interview I saw with him before this injury he had a long hard look at hmself last winter and decided that he wouldn't be out done for effort so when the team got back together he'd gotten his fitness to a high level for January and then the hard slog they do this time of year didn't hit him as hard and made the summer hurling so much more enjoyable but he was also able to cope with it better because he'd laid a good foundation and he was able to concentrate on his hurling. I hope someone else from the panel has taken a similar attitude this winter and can then exploit the hard work this summer.

I would hope Wally would become more dominant with 3 years senior behind him at this stage and I hope he tidies up the shooting a bit but I genuinely feel he's going to be more of a Gorta figure winning ball and setting up scores rather than taking loads of them.

John Power has it all but from what I've heard is missing 1 key ingredient, genuine hunger. When I saw him at U21 I thought this lad is going to be great at senior. I have been championing him among my friends saying "it'll come for him, it'll happen trust me". However after this year and finding out that he likes to hurl but he's not obsessed like those that become the best, I doubt he'll ever reach the potential many saw when he was playing U21. I hope I'm wrong like I was last year with Ger but I haven't seen any evidence yet.

Kevin Kelly has a lot of talent but is not a flashy player and he's always been slight but appears to have got stronger in the last year and hopefully has got stronger again over the winter. The one thing that would worry me is that I watched his county semi and the final and while he played well he never really stood up and took the game by the scruff of the neck and dominated it like I would expect of a top player, maybe that's not he's mentality but it needs to be especially for his club and he needs to find that bit of cojones (as the spanish would say) to grab a game and dominate it and dictate the play rather than have it just happening around him.

Mark Kelly from the few lads I know on the panel Kelly causes shed loads of trouble in training 99% of the time scoring for fun and hammering lads out of the way. I've never seen him do it at club or county level. He might be a bit like myself when I tried to play, I would destroy lads and nearly break them in two when I used train but I was pretty much solid useless against lads I didn't know. I knew it was a problem but I just couldn't do it I still don't know why. I have a feeling Kelly is the same he works fierce hard is very genuine but lacks "it" when it comes to playing anyone but the lads he knows. I think this is his last chance and i doubt he'll turn it around but I do hope I'm wrong.

JJ Farrell is an extremely unorthodox hurler but he can be effective. He will definitely cause trouble during the league for any FB he's on but won't get a huge amount of scores but he could set up runners coming off him. I really like the fight in JJ but I just don't think he'll be tidy enough to get a place come the summer.

Chris Bolger hit a strong vein of form during the summer and was destroying lads for fun but then he got injured and didn't look nearly as impressive when he came back. I would be hoping he worked hard over the winter and is ready go.

Luke Scanlon has very little hurling done and looked quitepoor against DIT and Offaly but if he can rediscover his touch he has plenty of talent to make it but ideally needs a few more years to strengthen up to be able to cope with the rigors of senior

John Walsh likewise has a long way to go to recover from his injury but like Scanlon will still need to do a lot to be ready for senior intercounty

Kevin Blanchfield and Sean Morrissey are big lads and will do well but again will need a year or two to get to the strength level needed.

Michael Malone only played in the match v Offaly I don't remember seeing him before that but he has potential. For the conditions he had a great first touch, he was strong and good under a high ball. I could see him getting a run in the league and he has a chance of making it if he can replicate that performance in training and anytime he gets a chance in the league. He isn't flashy but very solid.

dastardly00

^^^ nice insight tbiggertycome.

I feel we need the likes of Wally and John Power to step up a gear, and then Mark Kelly, Kevin Kelly or JJ Farrell to have a 'breakthrough' year like Ger Aylward had in 2015. If TJ and Richie Hogan manage to stay injury free and on top form, then I think we will be nicely set up for the championship.

Cornerback1

tbiggertycome wrote: »

They are not one is from Ballyregret and the others from O'Loughlins

Fierce hard luck on Ger and I wish him a speedy recovery, like them all he'll get the best of treatment, he might even get back for the end of the season.

Like many have said here you wouldn't have picked him out at this time last year as the lad ready to stand up. However I had been disappointed in his performances at Senior after the undoubted talent he had as an U21. In an interview I saw with him before this injury he had a long hard look at hmself last winter and decided that he wouldn't be out done for effort so when the team got back together he'd gotten his fitness to a high level for January and then the hard slog they do this time of year didn't hit him as hard and made the summer hurling so much more enjoyable but he was also able to cope with it better because he'd laid a good foundation and he was able to concentrate on his hurling. I hope someone else from the panel has taken a similar attitude this winter and can then exploit the hard work this summer.

I would hope Wally would become more dominant with 3 years senior behind him at this stage and I hope he tidies up the shooting a bit but I genuinely feel he's going to be more of a Gorta figure winning ball and setting up scores rather than taking loads of them.

John Power has it all but from what I've heard is missing 1 key ingredient, genuine hunger. When I saw him at U21 I thought this lad is going to be great at senior. I have been championing him among my friends saying "it'll come for him, it'll happen trust me". However after this year and finding out that he likes to hurl but he's not obsessed like those that become the best, I doubt he'll ever reach the potential many saw when he was playing U21. I hope I'm wrong like I was last year with Ger but I haven't seen any evidence yet.

Kevin Kelly has a lot of talent but is not a flashy player and he's always been slight but appears to have got stronger in the last year and hopefully has got stronger again over the winter. The one thing that would worry me is that I watched his county semi and the final and while he played well he never really stood up and took the game by the scruff of the neck and dominated it like I would expect of a top player, maybe that's not he's mentality but it needs to be especially for his club and he needs to find that bit of cojones (as the spanish would say) to grab a game and dominate it and dictate the play rather than have it just happening around him.

Mark Kelly from the few lads I know on the panel Kelly causes shed loads of trouble in training 99% of the time scoring for fun and hammering lads out of the way. I've never seen him do it at club or county level. He might be a bit like myself when I tried to play, I would destroy lads and nearly break them in two when I used train but I was pretty much solid useless against lads I didn't know. I knew it was a problem but I just couldn't do it I still don't know why. I have a feeling Kelly is the same he works fierce hard is very genuine but lacks "it" when it comes to playing anyone but the lads he knows. I think this is his last chance and i doubt he'll turn it around but I do hope I'm wrong.

JJ Farrell is an extremely unorthodox hurler but he can be effective. He will definitely cause trouble during the league for any FB he's on but won't get a huge amount of scores but he could set up runners coming off him. I really like the fight in JJ but I just don't think he'll be tidy enough to get a place come the summer.

Chris Bolger hit a strong vein of form during the summer and was destroying lads for fun but then he got injured and didn't look nearly as impressive when he came back. I would be hoping he worked hard over the winter and is ready go.

Luke Scanlon has very little hurling done and looked quitepoor against DIT and Offaly but if he can rediscover his touch he has plenty of talent to make it but ideally needs a few more years to strengthen up to be able to cope with the rigors of senior

John Walsh likewise has a long way to go to recover from his injury but like Scanlon will still need to do a lot to be ready for senior intercounty

Kevin Blanchfield and Sean Morrissey are big lads and will do well but again will need a year or two to get to the strength level needed.

Michael Malone only played in the match v Offaly I don't remember seeing him before that but he has potential. For the conditions he had a great first touch, he was strong and good under a high ball. I could see him getting a run in the league and he has a chance of making it if he can replicate that performance in training and anytime he gets a chance in the league. He isn't flashy but very solid.

Good insightful post there. With Ger gone, somebody needs to stand up and want a place on the team. It's a great opportunity for someone.

I think TJ is a good example also. He was on and off the team but decided in his own head that he was going to do something about it. He knuckled down over the winter a few seasons ago, bulked up and look at him now - irreplaceble i'd say.

Key question, as tbiggertycome states, who is going to do it this year.

I tbink Walter will always be there or thereabouts, good target man at half forward of when switched to full forward. I remember a few years ago, he had hit 5pts from play v Tipp inside 40mins but maybe doesn't chip in often enough.

In defence, is Brian Kennedy still on panel?

Cornerback1

Kevin Kelly will probably play for Carlow IT in Fitz Cup this evening.

brookville

James maher and conor martin both hurled well for their respective colleges today granted it's hard to read to much into it.Brian kennedy is still on the panel he played in the second walsh cup match and played well .Cody won't be afraid to give lads a chance and put a lad into a big match.i hope colin fennelly can reproduce his form of 2014 or lester to reproduce his 2013 form

dastardly00

A few lads from KK were playing in the UCD-UCC Fitzgibbon cup match today.

For UCD: Darragh Holohan (Dicksboro); Huw Lawlor (O'Loughlins); Conor O'Shea (Clara); James Maher (Freshford); Ciarán Prendergast (Clara); and Tom Phelan (Conahy).

John Power was playing for UCC.

UCD won 2-12 to 0-13. Maher got two points, while Power got one. And Power was subbed after 53 minutes.

Details are taken from the match report on the42.ie
http://the42.ie/2572771

blackcard

So the candidates are, in no particular order:
John Power
Kevin Kelly
Mark Kelly
JonJo Farrell
Conor Martin
Conor O'Shea
James Maher
Liam Blanchfield
One of these has a great opportunity to nail down a place

dastardly00

And the five other "best" or "most likely" starters in the forward line being TJ Reid, Richie Hogan, Colin Fennelly, Eoin Larkin, and Walter Walsh?

danganabu

blackcard wrote: »

So the candidates are, in no particular order:
John Power
Kevin Kelly
Mark Kelly
JonJo Farrell
Conor Martin
Conor O'Shea
James Maher
Liam Blanchfield
One of these has a great opportunity to nail down a place

I would have thought there were more than one place up for grabs, Reid, Hogan and Fennelly are the only absolutely nailed on, barring injury of course, Eoin Larkin was excellent last year, his best season in 3 or 4 years but will be 32 come the summer, there has to be a reasonable chance he will find it difficult to reach last years levels, he is most likely to retain his place but its by no means a certainty.

Again Walter Walsh very much divides opinion, he doesn't do it for me as a wing forward tbh, and I get the feeling that he is still somewhat living off the back of the 2012 replay, a bit harsh maybe but he has scored 2-17 in 11 matches (1-3 in the afore mentioned), so that's less than 2 pts a game since. Again I appreciate that he offers more because of his size etc. but I always get the impression he flatters to deceive a lot of the time and his striking has not improved as leaves a lot to be desired, especially off his weaker side. I have always found it strange that he hasn't been picked FF, maybe these changes will result in that move. Again most likely to be on the first 15 but by no means a certainty.

dastardly00

Lads we need to keep up our quota of talking about the big ball game.....

In today's news, Henry Shefflin was playing football today for Ballyhale!

https://twitter.com/BallyhaleGAA/status/693561063242121216

Torricelli

dastardly00 wrote: »

Lads we need to keep up our quota of talking about the big ball game.....

In today's news, Henry Shefflin was playing football today for Ballyhale!

https://twitter.com/BallyhaleGAA/status/693561063242121216

Interestingly, Shefflin played on the Kilkenny minor football team in 1997. Laois beat them by a point in the 1st round of the Leinster championship with a last minute goal. Laois were crowned All-Ireland champions the same year.

unrealtime

think of all the football AIs we might have won in the intervening period but for a last minute goal! good footballing discussions on this site now. keep it up - the football I mean

Danville

Torricelli wrote: »

Interestingly, Shefflin played on the Kilkenny minor football team in 1997. Laois beat them by a point in the 1st round of the Leinster championship with a last minute goal. Laois were crowned All-Ireland champions the same year.

While I have no problem whatsoever with Henry playing football from either a fitness or skill point of view, I am a little concerned from his cruciate injury point of view. Kicking a football puts several pounds of pressure on a knee and I don't think he needs the aggro of another knee injury at this stage of his career.

Cornerback1

Any word on how panel is shaping up for National League?

Realt Dearg Sec

Have the County Board released a provisional schedule for club games this year? Can't find one on the website, but would have thought they'd have something out by now. Going to be around in April but not on the weekend of an inter-county game, was hoping to see a club game at least.

tbiggertycome

No sign of the club fixtures yet there may be a few games but the League normally starts in May but we may get games earlier this year, if we get knocked out of the League early.

The only thing I've heard is Michael Malone from Mullinvat has been called in to the panel, and also as to be expected their getting flogged 3 times a week at the minute all running and conditioning work being done. Their expected to be doing two hard gym nights as well at the minute. The lads are looking forward to the league if only because they'll only be run into the ground twice a week during the league. I've heard this is how the training will go until March weather that is the start or the end of March I don't know. Until then they won't be holding a hurl in training. But their after they won't be doing any hard work for the rest of the year it'll be all hurling from then on.

tbiggertycome

No sign of the club fixtures yet there may be a few games but the League normally starts in May but we may get games earlier this year, if we get knocked out of the League early.

The only thing I've heard is Michael Malone from Mullinvat has been called in to the panel, and also as to be expected their getting flogged 3 times a week at the minute all running and conditioning work being done. Their expected to be doing two hard gym nights as well at the minute. The lads are looking forward to the league if only because they'll only be run into the ground twice a week during the league. I've heard this is how the training will go until March weather that is the start or the end of March I don't know. Until then they won't be holding a hurl in training. But their after they won't be doing any hard work for the rest of the year it'll be all hurling from then on.

barneygumble99

Shane Prendergast new captain. Delighted for him.

Cornerback1

tbiggertycome wrote: »

No sign of the club fixtures yet there may be a few games but the League normally starts in May but we may get games earlier this year, if we get knocked out of the League early.

The only thing I've heard is Michael Malone from Mullinvat has been called in to the panel, and also as to be expected their getting flogged 3 times a week at the minute all running and conditioning work being done. Their expected to be doing two hard gym nights as well at the minute. The lads are looking forward to the league if only because they'll only be run into the ground twice a week during the league. I've heard this is how the training will go until March weather that is the start or the end of March I don't know. Until then they won't be holding a hurl in training. But their after they won't be doing any hard work for the rest of the year it'll be all hurling from then on.

That seems to be the way soccer teams do it in preseason - all heavy duty fitness at the start and then they tick over during 'game season'.

Cornerback1

barneygumble99 wrote: »

Shane Prendergast new captain. Delighted for him.

Yeah, he was steady last season. He is a latecomer but seized his chance.

dirkmeister

tbiggertycome wrote: »

No sign of the club fixtures yet there may be a few games but the League normally starts in May but we may get games earlier this year, if we get knocked out of the League

The league has been starting the middle of April for the last few years.
I was just thinking myself that they are extremely late publishing fixtures this year, pity for a website that is normally very efficient.

It's also unfair on the players trying to plan ahead.

Realt Dearg Sec

Well folks, wasn't sure if this could be better placed in another thread but we're a cosmopolitan bunch around here anyway. During the club All Ireland matches before Christmas it was possible to watch them on TG4 player in America, there was no restriction or anything.

Does anyone know is that also true of the inter-county league matches? Or will those be restricted to streaming in Ireland only? Don't want to get caught out on the morning of it but I can't find a straight answer on the internets. I know RTE restrict their broadcasts, and championship in general is restricted, but specifically the league matches on TG4, I dunno about. All I know is I was able to watch Clara in the Leinster championship last year.

tbiggertycome

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

Well folks, wasn't sure if this could be better placed in another thread but we're a cosmopolitan bunch around here anyway. During the club All Ireland matches before Christmas it was possible to watch them on TG4 player in America, there was no restriction or anything.

Does anyone know is that also true of the inter-county league matches? Or will those be restricted to streaming in Ireland only? Don't want to get caught out on the morning of it but I can't find a straight answer on the internets. I know RTE restrict their broadcasts, and championship in general is restricted, but specifically the league matches on TG4, I dunno about. All I know is I was able to watch Clara in the Leinster championship last year.

Try it out with the football league this weekend and it'll surely be the same for the hurling the following Sunday.

Realt Dearg Sec

tbiggertycome wrote: »

Try it out with the football league this weekend and it'll surely be the same for the hurling the following Sunday.

Fair point, although it does involve getting out of bed to watch football, which I've always said I wouldn't do. Hopefully it works now!

robwen

Irish TV are showing the Glenmore & Bennetsbridge finals live Sunday

blackcard

robwen wrote: »

Irish TV are showing the Glenmore & Bennetsbridge finals live Sunday

Best of luck to both

dastardly00

Well done to Glenmore!

All-Ireland Junior Club Championship Final:
Glenmore 2-8 Eoghan Rua 0-12