Kilkennys biggest challenger

massey99

Who's kilkennys biggest obstacle to another all Ireland next year? Tipp look to be in transition, galway are infighting which isn't promising for next year, waterford and clare capable of mounting a threat. What you think?

Stacksofwacks

massey99 wrote: »

Who's kilkennys biggest obstacle to another all Ireland next year? Tipp look to be in transition, galway are infighting which isn't promising for next year, waterford and clare capable of mounting a threat. What you think?

Kilkenny B

king size mars bar

Carlow

lim4ev

It certainly isn't Kilkenny b anyway.tipp again for me with Galway and Limerick maybe Clare and Waterford if they play a conventional type game.

big_drive

At the end of the day it's probably Tipp. Will be interesting to see can Clare deliver a bit better on the potential they have

kksaints

Its a big If but if Clare perform to their very best they could cause us problems. Tipp are undergoing some retirements so its slightly hard to judge them yet. Waterford are game but limited. Galway I think had their chance this year and didnt take it. Cork and Limerick just arent good enough.

Davys Fits

I still think Galway are a good team. They will have a point to prove and if they dont win it the might be the ones to take KK out of it.

Realt Dearg Sec

Davys Fits wrote: »

I still think Galway are a good team. They will have a point to prove and if they dont win it the might be the ones to take KK out of it.

Great username.

randd1

Tipp. Easily the other best team in the country. Far more consistent than Galway, and more all round quality, especially in defense. Can see them beating us by a few points.

But if we were to get a hiding, only Galway could do it. If they really get their act together and improve, especially at the back, they have a great chance.

Not sure what to make of Waterford or Limerick, we'll just have to see can they improve and be more adventurous. If they can they could trouble us, but I'd expect us to pull through.

The rest don't have the all-round quality.

sean mac

kilkennys biggest challenger is - themselves. Fellas are fooling themselves about how 'competitive' hurling is. Cork are ****ed, Dublin on the verge of mutiny, galway don't even have a management team, limerick don't have it on the line, wexford are way back, clare might mount a gallup if Davey allows cusacks input, tipp............too many questions about too many fellas on this team and the players effectively picking their own manager isn't a good idea, Waterford need to be more adventourous as it is they are a damage limitation side.

JJs Left Hand

After getting back to winning ways on Irelands Fittest Family last night I'm expecting a much more confident Davy to inspire Clare

massey99

I think outside of Tipp, Clare have the quality and fitness to take on kilkenny. I'd love to see them play less of their running game and spread the ball to their forwards quicker. They have some of the best forwards in the country like Podge Collins and Tony Kelly. It'll be interesting to see how they go in the league.

deadybai

Tipp and Galway are probably on par with each (assuming that Galway dont flop again this year) other and certainly are the biggest treat to Kilkenny but I still think Kilkenny are ahead of them. I would also predict that 2016 Kilkenny will be a better team.

I cant see a youthful team like Clare or Waterford beating Kilkenny. Tipp and Galway have men in or around there prime with a mix of youth. Tony Kelly wont beat Kilkenny on his own. Clares defence is probably the worst of the top teams. Even in their AI win their defence was crap.

Waterford have the opposite problem in which they dont have good enough forwards. But Waterford's forwards are capable of doing damage.

Limerick took a step back this year and Division 1b wont do them any favours again. Cant see where the improvement will come from.

I always am weary of Dublin as a KK man. On their day the can be brilliant and I really liked the look of them during the league last year.

Can see Wexford making any upsets this year.

I think Cork could be the best outside Galway Tipp and Kilkenny. There defence will need to shape up though

PressRun

I think if Galway get the right management at the helm that can bring real leadership and get the team behind them, then they will be a big threat next year.

Hesh's Umpire

I really fancy Waterford - they'll have Pauric Mahony back, I presume. What a player to be adding to last year's team!

lim4ev

Been thinking of this one for a while now,with the problems kk have I think twill be galways year this yr notwithstanding their from what I could see unnecessary heave if they get it right on the line they,re best equipped I feel with tipp and Clare up next.limk might be dangerous too this yr but it's only a might.

Utopia Parkway

lim4ev wrote: »

Been thinking of this one for a while now,with the problems kk have I think twill be galways year this yr notwithstanding their from what I could see unnecessary heave if they get it right on the line they,re best equipped I feel with tipp and Clare up next.limk might be dangerous too this yr but it's only a might.

Good chance Johnny Glynn won't be available for Galway this year. Currently in the US and a good chance he may stay there for the year. On the plus side Niall Burke is back this year from the US himself and they would hope to have Conor Cooney fit at some stage this year after missing virtually all of 2015.

Orizio

massey99 wrote: »

Who's kilkennys biggest obstacle to another all Ireland next year? Tipp look to be in transition, galway are infighting which isn't promising for next year, waterford and clare capable of mounting a threat. What you think?

Injuries/red cards.

PlayByTheRules

lim4ev wrote: »

Been thinking of this one for a while now,with the problems kk have I think twill be galways year this yr notwithstanding their from what I could see unnecessary heave if they get it right on the line they,re best equipped I feel with tipp and Clare up next.limk might be dangerous too this yr but it's only a might.

I don't see any problems, I see a very large panel and the two best all round players in the country (TJ Reid & Richie Hogan) raring to go. If one of them or that Michael Fennelly enigma were to get injured for the year then there would be problems but I can totally see why they are still clear favorites.

PlayByTheRules

Glynn is a massive loss for Galway, their main ball winner and could put it up to KK backs

Orizio

lim4ev wrote: »

Been thinking of this one for a while now,with the problems kk have I think twill be galways year this yr notwithstanding their from what I could see unnecessary heave if they get it right on the line they,re best equipped I feel with tipp and Clare up next.limk might be dangerous too this yr but it's only a might.

What problems do KK have.

deadybai

Orizio wrote:

What problems do KK have.

I would say as a Kilkenny man that we rely to heavily on Hogan and Reid for scores. Especially Reid who scored all our goals after the Wexford game last year. Ger Alyward was the only other forward who consistently delivered on a scoring front last year. Larkin was primarily an extra defender. While Colin fennelly and Walter Walsh played a defensive role to a lesser extent to Larkin.
So I would say the lack of scoring forward would be a problem, especially a goal scorer like Eddie Brennan.

With Alyward out for the year I would say Kilkenny need to unearth two more scoring forwards.

Apart from that I think a permanent replacement for Jackie Tyrrell is a problem but for the long term not short term. I don't think there's a forward at this moment in time that I would really fear. Canning and Callinan are the exceptions. Only a player like Tyrrell or Jj Delaney could keep them relatively quiet. That's what we need long term

CrabRevolution

I'm in my mid 20's and have never seen either team win an AI, but every year since I can remember I've heard that "This is Galway's year" in the hurling and "I expect big things from Derry next year" for football. Generally the same reasons are given; sleeping giant, so much raw talent, long history of pain, they deserve it after so much effort, club success etc.

I'd love for Galway to win the hurling, an I have relatives there who'd love it even more. That said given their near misses and golden opportunities over the years I'll only believe Galway can do it once they actually have Liam in their hands.

randd1

lim4ev wrote: »

Been thinking of this one for a while now,with the problems kk have I think twill be galways year this yr notwithstanding their from what I could see unnecessary heave if they get it right on the line they,re best equipped I feel with tipp and Clare up next.limk might be dangerous too this yr but it's only a might.

Kilkenny have the least problems of any team coming into this year, unless it's retirements you're talking about.

They weren't supposed to win after Tommy, Henry, Delaney, Brennan, Hickey and Hogan called it a day, but they've won a few AI titles without most of them on the field.

They won the AI last year without Power or Tyrrell playing anything at all really.

So the greats moving on has not even been an issue.

Holden was supposed to be a weak link but he handled McDonald, Shanahan and Canning (twice) more than admirably, and they're all big target men.

Eoin Murphy, Prendergast, Padraig Walsh, Joyce and Conor Fogarty wouldn't be the highest rated around the country, but it would be difficult to find anyone who was as consistently as good as any of them last year. They at least are as good as what the opposition have to offer.

Richie Hogan wasn't at his best last year with a persistent injury.

And yet Kilkenny won the AI, well, easily enough in the end.

The only problems I foresee is Aylwards absence, the possible decline of Larkins ability to put in a massive 70 minutes, a spate of injuries, or a completely inexplicable and unbelievable drop in form by the squad.

lim4ev

Ok maybe problems was the wrong choice of word what I meant was with all the retirements plus losing awylard having said that of course kk are going to be strong they always are I just don,t think it's going to be as handy for them as it was last yr. this time last yr I didn't,t think Galway were serious contenders they are now plus you have a rejuvenated Clare plus you have tipp and maybe liimk and Waterford so more genuine contenders I feel this yr.having said all that they will prob have to beat kk to win it out.

DEFTLEFTHAND

It's hard to know with the likes of Tipperary, 2010 is 6 years ago this summer and they haven't pushed on and won more AIs in that time. Granted they've been in finals since and probably should have won the first day out in 2014, and have tacked on a few Munster titles in that period but I think people expected more from this generation.