Kilkenny GAA Thread

usualstripes

Hard not to be very disappointed with the performance today. Mossy, carey amd Shane Murphy when he came on did well. Midfield out of the game for the whole first half. At least he is trying new lads but I think he will have to revert to type come championship. Maybe Harry shine or gearoid dunne might stand up. Not sure why marty Murphy wasn't named on the panel today. He might have caused harm in the galway full back line. Surely we need more steel in around the rucks. Very poor at times today. Our strategy in their puck outs was crazy. Leaving them all the time in the world to work the ball forward. Ball wasn't sticking for us. Another few tough weekends to come amd hopefully by the end of the league we will have a solid 20/22 players that we can stick with.

The_Tank

Lots of criticism of the ball in but to be honest, even adjusting for the heavy conditions which suit backs, and allowing for some poor striking the first touch of our full forward line was piss poor and left us under pressure. Missed picks, ball to hurl not hand etc and the counter attacks from deep killed us. If you’re playing as the out ball then you’ve got to make it stick like a magnet. Further more Galway had a sweeper that, rather than try to engage, Kilkenny just tried to play around. I wish we’d go 3 up if we’re going to play it in. And 2 up when we’re going to run or defend. Galway just played a Wexford style running through the middle on the counter and long range strike and we left them off at it until the second half when there was a noticeable upping in the workrate.

I watched our subs in the mini game and it was pedestrian to be kind. So signs were not great and it should be a point of coaching detail to have someone stand over them and get them to an acceptable level.

Another point is we saw none of the attacking from the backs that we saw in Clare. I wonder was that deliberate. I thought Moylan was picked to allow Butler to go out, but whenever I looked Mikey was in the two at the back. The point Mackessy won against Clare last week when we were under the kosh was not seen today and I’d argue it’s a footballers point (not making a point about with Mackessys derivation, more to do with our natural of understanding of movement up the field). Btw games now seamed yo be refeffed such that any shout of pulling and dragging is allowed but if a lad flops on the ground it must be a free. Badically junior B.

I thought Shine was a welcome relief when he came on because he actually looked like he knew how to control a ball, even when tackled by Billy Ryan. He should have drove that ball down into Langtons instead of the tame finish though.

droppingball

Not a great performance but got plenty of new guys time. Thought most of the damage was done out the field. The midfield and half forward line gave their markers way too much space. Lee at 6 for Galway gave an exhibition, he was always in the right place and supported his colleagues. Very disappointed with Paddy Deegan, nothing seem to go for him, feels like we are moving him around to shoehorn him in somewhere.

Cian Kenny has to be midfield he covers so much ground there. I'm finding Eoin Cody very frustrating, all he wants to his take on the whole defence to score a worldie of a goal each time, he doesn't have the pace to get away. Eoin pop the ball over the bar or recycle it and take the man on when it's one on one or there is a chance. His decision making is shocking, he needs to look at Mossy who keeps it simple. If it's on he has a go if not he recycles or has a pop.

Didn't go for Dunne, Zach or Connellan today, moylan was exposed a few times but had some good moments. I'd like to see him get a few goes. Thought Harry Shine although was not spectacular he got on the ball and hopefully we see him Saturday.

Our lack of pace is worrying we have nobody who frightens defences and can make backs nervy or as another poster said open up space for others. TJ, Mullen and Donnelly as good as they are won't bring it and Billy Ryan has it but isn't using it well.

I still don't think our puckouts are much better to be honest it might change when the ground is harder and they show us a plan. The trajectory of Tallis puckouts are better but few going over the line or over the head of receivers. The good thing is Tallis has the game and the tools to pull it off. If we get working on a plan with movement in half forward line that allows half forward running into green grass Mullen and Mossy will be worth few more scores than we are getting but that will be for later in the year and it's amazing we still haven't managed it over the years. It's not a change the goalie and it all falls into place. It needs more work.

Blanchfield is doing plenty of good stuff at 6 and needs every minute there to master that position, he had to take his man down for the second goal but he was skinned for it but he will learn from it.

This team really needs to develop a meaner streak, we don't really have any enforcer and can't think of any either. We have become a team that let the opposition score numerous scores without reply which is a dangerous trait. We also work hard to get back into matches and them take the foot off the pedal, happened today and it is not the first time.

Nothing sure but Rory O Connor and Chin will be back next Saturday and it will be a humdinger, hopefully Derek keeps trying a few mixed with experience.

On we go anyway and it's a pleasure to see Mossy burning it up at the minute, it's up to the others to follow now.

The_Tank

Btw P.M. o Sullivan made a good point in the programme about Kilkennys running game in that they do seem to get caught up in the tackle a lot rather than moving it wide to a runner. It might just be that it stuck in my head but I felt in the game it did hold true.

droppingball

Forgot to mention Shane Murphy he is looking good, he attacks the ball and uses it well, give him game time and he could nail down a place

Conversations 3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123128336#Comment_123128336

Chin won't be back for a good while yet.

Kilkenny can't seem to put a team to the sword and are very slow starters.

I wonder what Cody was thinking looking on today 🤔

droppingball

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123128377#Comment_123128377

According to South East radio he arrived back in last few days and trained this morning with Wexford players not involved against Tipperary. So I would not be shocked to see him.

Conversations 3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123128407#Comment_123128407

I thought he was after signing up to a Sydney team.

Obviously not, maybe he was just training with them to keep sharp.

droppingball

I had heard the same so was surprised today when commentator said he was back,any word on mackessy injury?

njcat

I think the OLG group need a break after 24 months of continuous hurling. They looked tired in July 2024 v Clare, in the Kilkenny club championship and today. A break would help them refresh for the championship.

Happy to see us give responsibility to Mossy and Cody. Hope we continue to give league game time to Tallis, Moylan, Zach, Mackessy, Dunne, Connellans, McDonald, Drennan and Shine. They need respondibility to grow. We will get relegated but we need to develop the new players and dtrengthen the panel.

Galway and us are very close; they should have won more 2022-2024 and Michail O'Donoghue will inspire them to win Leinster as he did today. They trained to be sharper for today; Kilkenny didn't bar Mossy, Cody and Kenny. We looked sluggish. Lawlor & Butler didn't look like the All Stars they are and Paddy D couldn't have maintained hos outstanding 2024 club form. So please rest them now as we did with the Ballyhale boys.

Box to box

KK will only have the same squad to choose from next week the good news is Mullen,donnelly,scruff,tj,phelan and Tommy Walsh all nearing a return and mackessy injury isnt as serious as initially feared. He would of being a big help today . Richie reid got injured in the warmup.When new comers are given a chance they have to take it but dunne,hogan,drennan have being there a few years now. Connellan and eoghan lyng are different and only starting out.i also can't understand why marty Murphy isn't getting a look he would bring something different and kk need something different.I know he is with the u20 and they're playing tipp this weekend. Like wexford today there was a much better performance in galway after poor performances last week. It was very obvious when the team came out they made 9 or 10 changes. The big failing of not finishing out games was evident again today. Galway let a 8 point lead slip before kk gave away a few tired frees to give them a deserved win.Kk didnt score after eoin codys goal on 27 minutes. We knew there will be bumps in the road when trying to blood lads but one point between hogan,dunne,connellan is poor.How is it that kk can no longer produce a foward? Eoin cody was the last player and that was 4 or 5 years ago,thats why ya couldn't get too excited with the likes of chaps in kierans or cbs because we have a proven track record of not bringing them onto u20 let alone senior. Kk have started all four games very slowly,you would hope its all aimed for later in the year but I'd have my reservations when it comes to s&c.Galway were very sore after last week and hit kk hard.The scoreline maybe flattered kk because apart from mossy 7 points from play we just couldn't make the ball stick.It would be no harm to get someone into corner back because mikey Butler isn't going well. Seen that mini game with the subs and no one there with them. I watched that match again and the ball going in is 70/30. Galway gave in much better ball to their fowards. Kk are driving in defenders ball for the fowards. Obviously conditions etc were poor but the quality of ball going in is dirt and has being a long time. When it's all said and done it will be easy enough pick the team. It will be more or less the same team as last year. Granted zach and moylan got knocks but these 2 along with dunne,connellan and hogan all the newcomers hoping to move into the team were all replaced. Kk have no other choice but to try a few lads.

forchange

I am still here can’t understand everyone getting excited about mossy

Record 4 all Ireland semie finals and all Ireland taking off in them all does well in winter because he super fit when it matters has not the speed or the skill still can’t pass a ball

John Donnely the same

Billy Ryan at noting

If you go back I told you mikey butler has being found out

Told you paddy Deegan to slow

The village man wouldn’t be able to keep a eye on the future as he be watching intermediate

The great manager led the village to the promised land a lot off kilkenny problems is the mess Cody left kilkenny hurling

BQQ

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123128325#Comment_123128325

 Btw games now seamed yo be refeffed such that any shout of pulling and dragging is allowed but if a lad flops on the ground it must be a free. Badically junior B.

this.

And some teams do a lot more flopping than others

it’s annoying as the game would be far more attractive if it was the other way around and they penalised the pulling and dragging and ignored the exaggerated diving on the ground

conor05

Mackessy has to go back in at 7 against Wexford if his knee is ok as Carey, Blanchfield and Mackessy are a powerful half back line.

Id put Shane Murphy in corner back for Butler but will Lyng drop him???

Box to box

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123128502#Comment_123128502

Wolly had it the other day he was signed up with Sydney club but he is supposed to be home now. Did Rory o Connor get a one or two match ban? Ķk will know all about it going down to wexford and this is a match they would of targeted for two points. The league is fickle, last week galway were finished and now he has them going well. Wexford were better today and cork weren't as good. That was a much stronger galway team but kk were very poor for a lot of that game. Mossy 7 points is fair scoring. It has to be a worry that kk aren't producing fowards. Blanchfield has a bit to go before he masters the 6 position but we have no one better. I think they may just leave deegan up in the fowards and not be moving him around the whole time.

Mackessy injury isnt as serious as initially feared. He will be out for a few weeks. I agree entirely about the o loughlin lads especially butler I wouldn't start him next Saturday.

Box to box

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123128593#Comment_123128593

Mackessy won't be back next week. Lyng will have to grow a pair and drop mikey he has being under pressure. If a player isn't playing well you replace him.

jamesbond2022

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123128520#Comment_123128520

Speak of the devil and he shall appear 🤣

Here we go again

True to form your out to stick the boot in after a loss

Club hurler of the year last year in kk j Donnelly doesn’t pass the ball when in truth he’s at the centre of everything that thomastown do hooking blocking tackling laying of ball stick passing and scoring from play

Mossy keoghan leader of the attack the last 2 days dropping deep delivering ball into the forwards

7 from play today 5-6 pints from play last week

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123128325#Comment_123128325

Out of interest what do you mean by engaging the sweeper?

Box to box

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123128520#Comment_123128520

Donnelly played the majority of last years championship with broken bones in his hand. He was advised not to play. He was unlucky not to get an All star so that's scour anyway.He was huge in thomastown winning the championship beating the scutter out of Vegas along the way

Mossy and deegan will make mistakes but they will always give you everything. Yes kk need more than that but these two do alot of the dogs work. Mossy is there a while now he needs to stand up and drive it on with consistency.

We all gave out about billy ryan but last year's was his best year scoring 1-2 against clare before lyng took him off. At least he was a threat that day.

One of codys best achievements was getting that team to a whisker of that Limerick team at their very peak. They beat us by 2 points and if we had to get that last ball around the mixer at the end who knows. Limerick were very relieved that day. Actually your man mossy got a goal that day. Now the problem is cody handed lyng over a relatively young team but for the last 2 years lyng has squeezed every last drop out of codys team and failed to bring in fresh faces. He failed to put his own stamp on things and results will show us we're in decline. It's being as plain as day kk have being crying out for a modern coach but we had our s&c doing the coaching last year. We had Peter o Donovan doing the same repetitive boring drills. This year they upgraded John Murphy to do the s&c. I've absolutely nothing against any of the above but there's some of them out of their depth. Lyng is supposed to be manager,the boss he knows how to win All irelands but he also needs better people around him. This isn't a reaction from a league match on the 2nd of February if you look back at last year against clare we just faded tamely out of that game and didn't score for the last 15 minutes. What do they be looking at when doing video analysis because I was told that its very poor and you can see why.As I said I'm not talking about today because the pitch was in the horrors but just look back at the match and look at the ball going in compared to what galway were sending in.

Village87

Galway have 3 players that I liked the look of today. Lee, Fahy and Killeen all in central positions. Kilkenny need to find lads to step up now. Lawlor, Kenny, Blanchfield, Mullen, Cody, Mossy and John Donn are 7 certs. Hopefully a few more come along

The_Tank

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123128776#Comment_123128776

I used the term sweeper but actually it wasn’t even that. Kilkenny have followed the fashion of playing 2 in the full forward line. Galway marked them and also kept a player in front. So they had a 3vs 2 (4 if you count the keeper). So all they have to do is dog the forward and just break the ball. And then they come away with it. And launch a counter attack from deep. My point is that if kilkenny wanted to drive ball in then they either need a full forward 2 that makes it stick, or mark (engage) the spare Galway lad for a period and try to turn it into a more even contest. Kilkenny picked two similar ‘tanks’ in Dunne and Hogan I presume hoping to hold the ball up but it didn’t work. And Cody was also at very little. They changed formation in the second half and there was definitely 3 in the full forward line - but we didn’t play it in to them for whatever reasons, and got bogged down on the sidelines at the end.

neverbet

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123128513#Comment_123128513

Maybe I am the only one that thinks so, but I thought Huw Lawlor had a really fine game today and saved us time and again. Blanchfield is a wonderful no 5 but not a 6 for me, Carey and Shane Murphy both excellent again. Mossy in the form of his life. Him apart our forwards touch wasn't there. I thought plenty decent ball went in and we don't have anyone of Colin Fennellys type to make it stick. I was surprised Hogan was subbed at half time as I think he has something to offer. TJ, Donnelly, Mullen and Tom Phelan will all be needed come championship. Next weekends game in Wexford Park and the three that follow are what is needed to test Harry Shine and hopefully Stephen Donnelly and the two Glenmore boys Vereker and Billy Reid in my view our most promising newcomers along with Peter McDonald. To be fair Galway looked a very decent hurling team today and anyone writing them or the Wexford boys off before a ball is pucked can be made to look very foolish.

Village87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123129288#Comment_123129288

Yes Huh Lawlor was excellent as always. A great full back. I agree with Blanchfield, yes he will be fine at 6 but could be a wing back that is of the highest standard, Brynes or Hayes type. Peter McDonald and Cian Kenny hopefully make a good combination midfield. On the younger players, Shine does not look fit, Billy Reid and Vereker have never really impressed for Kilkenny under age, one player who has plenty about him is Marty Murphy at under age. Standout for u20s last year. Surely he gets a runout soon .I do agree that he is another that fitness needs to improve

me89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123129288#Comment_123129288

Huw always plays great so maybe he doesn't get the praise on here as its the norm, easily our best player and best fullback in the country. Shane Murphy must start love his aggression and his carrying of the ball forward.

Puckouts were poor yesterday, so many were over hit or out over the sideline

droppingball

Just watched Allianz League sunday, that clip with Will O Donoghue getting 4 hits/tackles in the one play is exactly what we need. We let Monaghan and Fahy run through us during the last four points. If we could take any player from the past to improve this team it would be a Mick Fennelly (with no injuries)

Marrooned

A few on here criticising young players. I thought the two Boro boys were putting themselves about well Luke Hogan was first off why? Now I know Dunne and Connellan weren’t at the races yesterday but that happens, I thought Billy Ryan did an awful lot of work when he came in,again mistakes were made. I told ye durian the week Galway wouldn’t roll over and Wexford won’t either they will be looking for the points off of us. Paddy Deegan isn’t good enough his passing is shocking aimless balls to no one in particular,

Village87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123130371#Comment_123130371

I agree that Billy Ryan would be a great player off the bench come championship. Deegan made a hero out of Lee.

kentu

Shane Murphy will have to be in the 1st 15 come championship this year surely, is much more comfortable on the ball than Mikey Butler, more physical and easily a better man marker on current form.

Box to box

Tallis will probably be disappointed with the two goals. The second one especially just batted it straight out to the attacker but he should learn from it. Fahy was excellent for galway,aggressive in the tackle,something we lack, gavin Lee was given so much freedom. Kk didnt deserve to get anything from the game and only for mossy it would of being a hammering. Lyng knows himself he will have to persist giving lads exposure because every team needs a panel. It's an awful pity Stephen donnelly couldn't stay right because he definitely has something to offer. Owen Wall is another who hasn't being seen yet. Finally what's the story with the crap crowd going to matches? Is it the cost or the championship being a league format? 5 thousand at the kk match and 5 thousand at the tipp match.

Marrooned

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123131004#Comment_123131004

crowds are well down higher prices, no cash at stiles, lack of success and bad management by the CB they have zero marketing and don’t tell me to let up on the county board because it’s tiresome or whatever theses are all facts and need to be addressed immediately.