Kilkenny GAA Thread

Realt Dearg Sec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123376264#Comment_123376264

They were great spectacles, and the hurling was far better than what was in the park the day before, I don't disagree with that. But to say the defending was good, I just couldn't agree. Cork have definitely tightened things up in that regard but they can be got at in a major way, and I think they'll continue to concede goals at the rate they did Sunday.

Marrooned

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123376877#Comment_123376877

I know I bring this up regular and people do be pissed off with me,but I have to agree with JJ that 8,500 is a terrrible crowd there should be at least 15,000 at these games although there was probably 7,500 from KK. I don’t think our county board is selling our games and this is probably true nationally as well.i think our future looks good and more people should be following the games there was three home games this week in the Park,U19’s last Wednesday, senior on Saturday and the minor on Sunday,now I thought there was more two underage games were fairly well attended.and KK minors are playing Galway in the park at 1.30 next Saturday. These matches should be well advertised and I think this minor team has plenty of promise,there is an awful lot of people who don’t go anymore who could be brought back to the fold.I think there should be an up coming games board outside the park at the angle preferably an electronic screen which could be used for general advertising when not in use for the latter.

letsseehere14

Kilkenny scored 3-24 (33) 27 scores

Cork scored 2-24 (30) 26 scores

Wexford scored 2-24 (30) 26 scores

Clare scored 3-21 (30) 24 scores

Limerick and Tipp scored 2-23 (29) 25 scores

Offaly scored 2-19 (25) 21 scores

Galway scored 0-21 (21) 21 scores

Antrim scored 0-19 (19) 19 scores

I dont think there's a huge difference in quality of defending especially given the quality drop for Antrim and Offaly and even Galway

letsseehere14

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123377956#Comment_123377956

In fact Kilkenny conceded more scores from play than Cork did. 15 vs 12

MfMan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123377143#Comment_123377143

Oh dry up. They beat all-comers that year, including hammering reigning AI champions Tipperary in the league final. A few years prior to that, they lost by something like 25 points in the league in Nowlan park and went on to win the Leinster final by 9 (2012). Considering Kilkenny have lost the last three AI finals they've played in, and thrown away strong half-time positions in two more semi-finals (Waterford, Clare), a small bit of humility and self-awareness wouldn't go astray. I guarantee you our next championship meeting will be closer than last Saturday; you've been on the receiving end of a few good beatings from ourselves in this century alone, and your own famine is stretching to 10 years also.

conor05

Quote from examiner live covering the Cork v Clare game

‘Attendance in Ennis is 20,778. 58 mins The game is getting a bit scrappy now. Bit of a scuffle now in front of the Cork goal. 57 mins Shane Barrett shown a straight red card for an off the ball incident.’

Quote from independent on Kk v Galway game

“Kilkenny and Galway met in a heavyweight Leinster Senior Hurling Championship clash on Saturday but the attendance at Nowlan Park has prompted concern among viewers. Two of Leinster's chief contenders played out a hard-fought battle in tough conditions in Kilkenny, however just 8,243 spectators attended the fixture.”

I didn’t think it looked like there was more thank 8,000 at it to be honest.

conor05

I do think a big crowd will be turn out in Tullamore Sat night for Offaly v Galway

Village87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123378001#Comment_123378001

Don't get me started on Galway hurling, I'll be here for the night. Fell over the line against a bad Waterford team and never seen again. How many times have Galway supporters left a venue disappointed in the character of the team over the last 15 years ? Galway have not got out of a bad Leinster in 2 of the last 4 attempts. I actually don't have words to describe what a let down they are. A temperamental, pretentious, soft bunch, who rarely go to the well for there supporter's.

Krazy gang

On the long ball, those deliveries to the edge of the square will cause problems for any team, especially if you have a full forward like Brian hayes or Peter Duggan to break it. Sure that's how westmeath beat wexford 2 years ago. 2 or 3 goals from long high balls to a big man

Marrooned

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123378189#Comment_123378189

Conor the capacity of Cossack park in Ennis is 15,000 which is more than what I thought.

conor05

https://m.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/clare-county-board-exploring-expansion-of-ennis-cusack-park-capacity-for-clare-v-limerick-tussle/a534463597.html

Article from 2024, not sure where you are getting your 15,000 Cusack Park capacity figure from.

Greensoup

Ennis is around 21000 same as last year for Clare limerick match….attendance called out for that was just under 21000.

MfMan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123378311#Comment_123378311

So don't start. Whenever you point a finger at someone else, there are more pointing back in your own direction. As stated, no Senior title in a decade, Minor title for 11 years and your U20 title in 2022 was your first since 2008. For a proud (albeit one-code) county there's a lot of lean times there. Did you question your own team's character when you drew with Carlow last year? You led by 9 points at one stage against an equally 'bad' Waterford side in 2020, led by 5 in the latter stages against Clare last year but let both leads slip. Was that softness?

Look in the mirror before pointing out the shortcomings of other counties.

Village87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123379138#Comment_123379138

Yes Kilkenny have not had the most talented of squads over the last 10 years, we lost a core of great players 10/11 years ago, and the players that were in there prime at that time found it hard without the great players around them with the exception of, Eoin Murphy, Huw Lawlor, TJ and Padraig Walsh. One thing i can say about Kilkenny is that every match they go out in they will bring incredible intensity, make the game as competitive as possible and usually makes for a good spectacle, and a level of consistency that supporters appreciate. As for Galway they continue to disappoint every second match.

me89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123379138#Comment_123379138

Kilkennys shortcomings are always well discussed here and10 years without an all ireland is well documented in this thread. In the same time we have won 2 leagues and 6 leinster titles and it's very rare maybe aside from carlow last year where I have ever questioned them on work rate or effort. Galway on the other hand underperform and down tools a lot.

usualstripes

Looking back on Saturday all we can really say is that Kilkenny got the job done. Aside from losing Mullen early on Billy Ryan was our best forward in the 1st half. Thankfully we improved in the 2nd half and Cody seemed far more comfortable and in the game out on the half forward line.

Backs in general did well. Kenny found it hard in the 1st half to get into the game. Much better 2nd. Molloy strong throughout.

We should really have scored a lot more as Galway never stepped up at all. But job done.

No real news on the extent of Shane Murphy and mullen. Both players out for a few weeks according to Lyng. Both are vital to us whenever we come up against munster opposition, more than likely at semi final stage provided we keep our heads right.

Munster matches were a level above intensity wise but thats just the nature of the competition there. We need to be ready.

Sir Chaz

I'd fear the worst for Shane Murphy, that looked bad. Shame because he was hurling well and we needed another option in defence.

Mullens must be ligaments seeing as they strapped him up so hopefully just a 3-4 week injury and be back for last round robin game. He's absolutely crucial. The All Ireland is absolutely wide open.
2 convincing wins to lift the spirits after an indifferent league. Minors looked a very strong and mature side. Hopefully both teams back it up again at the weekend.

Montys return

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123379910#Comment_123379910

To be fair to the Galway man, there would be absolute holy war on here if somebody dismissed a year where Kilkenny won the league, leinster and All Ireland as a stroke of fortune.

Whatever about the other points, that was just an unwarranted sneer.

Charlie69

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123380990#Comment_123380990

You’re right it was unwarranted….. but you should see what that poster (village)has said about some of his own players over the years.

Marrooned

well Conor ye I got the capacity wrong the other day I googled it and it said 15,000 I never realised it had that capacity I have been going there for years and I always thought of it as a small ground my humble apologies.

Marrooned

I heard someone say over the weekend that Donal Og Cusack said that Kilkenny were now a second tier hurling team. Did anyone else hear this comment?

kk.man

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123381425#Comment_123381425

He did I think it was the analysis after the league final on the Sunday game.

On the kilkenny attendances, it's been that way for a few years. I think it's down to the fact we haven't won an all ireland. People are fed up of going to all irelands and semis and getting beat. It's not the way to support a team but this is kilkenny. There is abit of arrogance in supporters, it's all or nothing I'm afraid to say.

Brian017

How can a county top of the Roll of Honour be classed as a second tier team? Granted no AI for a decade but Cork (who I'm assuming he classes as a tier 1 county) haven't won one for two decades!

barneygumble99

Donal og is a wan**r and has a massive chip on his shoulder towards Kilkenny. It goes back to the time of cork hurlers strike.

‘I have massive respect for Donal Og but I was bulling at the Stepford Wives thing’

The times the ‘Stepford Wives’ of Kilkenny had blazing, personal rivalry with cliquish Cork

https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-20103729.html

Realt Dearg Sec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123381425#Comment_123381425

What he says was the top tier right now is limerick, Cork, and Clare, with kilkenny, tipp, Waterford, as a second tier, and so on. It wasn't exactly a crazy thing to say and it has nothing to do with how many all Irelands anyone has, it's to do with the teams that he was expecting to be front runners to win the all Ireland. He wasn't singling out kilkenny.

Hopefully that's the last time I have to defend Donal og feckin cusack.

Marrooned

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123381630#Comment_123381630

Ye but he’s a cutting bastard and any time his name is mentioned KICK and BOLOX spring to mind.

MfMan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123381246#Comment_123381246

Please do point out, because any criticism I've made of Galway players over the years has been professional and balanced, rather than cutting and personal.

Err.. did you mean me or Village?

Village87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123380990#Comment_123380990

Galway did not beat Kilkenny in the championship that year. I agree that was an excellent Galway team but to win 1 All Ireland against Waterford in the final will be looked back on as a bad return imo. I look at Munster games and the sheer intensity they bring to the games along with Kilkenny and then we have Galway who just seem to down tools at any chance over the last 5/6 years. They deserve every bit of criticism they receive, the absolute state of them Saturday, completely undermining the Leinster championship like a challenge match, if i was a Galway follower i would be disgusted. Kilkenny are no great shakes themselves but they bring a certain performance every time they wear the jersey in a big championship match and the opposition have to put in a serious performance to outwork and better Kilkenny, Galway do not have the stomach for it or the talent for it from what i have seen. If i was Donaghue i would be making wholesale changed, at least 5-6 players should be dropped. If Kilkenny had a full team and did not lose a few players through injury there could have been 20+ points in it.

randd1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123376877#Comment_123376877

There's many reasons why.

4:00pm on an Easter Saturday isn't a great time for a lot of people to be heading to a match. There's virtually no promotion of the sport at all by the Leinster Council, they're hardly going to give two fcuks about a championship if they don't give a damn about the sport, you wouldn't even know the Leinster championship was due to start given the lack of promotion. Both teams were hardly in impressive form in the league either, and Galway have been poor for a few years now, so there was a sense from before the match that it was never going to be a classic.

The home support was minimal was about 7500 out of 8250, not good but not woeful. Galway fans, well why would you travel 200km or whatever to a match you knew you would probably lose on a sh!t day weather wise on a Bank Holiday weekend? They never turned up (and left what little atmosphere there was completely one-sided).

There's about 60/70 stoppages a game in a game of hurling, closer to 80 some days, You're lucky to get 20 seconds of action before a pot-shot, never mind 30. There's no real flow to the sport any more. Hard to get excited over rinse and repeat.

The constant puling and dragging is the only way to counter the constant throwing and steps. No-one uses a regulation hurl. Cheating is rampant, and people get put off by it. It's very hard to watch a game back on the telly these days, but take away a passionate crowd and it becomes very hard to watch live either. Good hurling brings a crowd, and with the way hurling is played these days, it's the crowd that make the game, not the sport itself.

But hurling gets away with it because it's so good that some of the skills are still outrageous, and even the cheating helps in that it provides the sport the ability to be played at breakneck speed, which whatever the merits, appeals.

Munster is particularly good because it's generally close, played at a blistering pace and that whips up the crowd. But slow it down and take the excitement of the crowd out of it, and hurling is a more a cheat-fest with the ball going out of play every 20-25 seconds. It's a poor watch. And there's been enough poor games in Munster to prove that too.

The problem with Leinster hurling is that it has none of the pace, the closeness in quality, and so the crowd won't come.

And it's dear enough these days as well without having to fork out a fair bob for a few weeks on the bounce.

I also think the format works for Munster, but doesn't for Leinster. There's no real jeopardy for the better teams in Leinster (though Wexford have flirted with the drop). Offaly coming up might change that, but they're raw and I wouldn't hold my breath for it.

Leinster should be two groups of 4, three games each. Top team to Leinster SF's, 2nd of each group plays 3rd of opposite group in QF's with losers knocked out. 4th of each group in relegation final. Loser of the two SF's playoff the be the third team from the province into the AI series. You'd have the same number of rounds as well currently have, instead of 1 knockout game there's 7, and a lot more jeopardy in the group phase as well as one bad result and you might be out.

If that were in play next year, I'd imagine we'd see better crowds. Never mind tackling the cheating/lack of flow in the sport.

Charlie69

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123382357#Comment_123382357

I didn’t mean you .