Kilkenny GAA Thread

jamesbond2022

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123462699#Comment_123462699

Just pointing out that despite the hype there are indeed some one sided poor games in Munster

davidx40

On today's viewing of the 3 matches I don't think there's one player from cork/ Tipp,/ Waterford and ourselves who would start for Limerick

me89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123462967#Comment_123462967

Huw Lawlor starts for any team in the country.

davidx40

Don't agree , he would be out closest challenger all right

me89

Best fullback in the game

conor05

Will you stop. Huw Lawlor is out on his own as a full back.

Absolute class act in every game.

blackcard

There really would have been a complete meltdown if we had to lose a 16 point lead. A good save by Murphy, ref not giving advantage when Dublin had a goal chance and some late wides meant it didn't happen but doesn't hide the fact that we were slaughtered in the second half

neverbet

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123463209#Comment_123463209

Certainly can't be happy with the second half. Very much flattered by 14 points lead at half time. Only Huw Lawlor of the 6 backs can be happy with todays performance. Carey and Blanch have struggled since their red cards in the game against Tipp. Mossy and Keoghan in tremendous form all year. Mullen ,Stephen Donnelly and Luke Hogan when on played well. John Donnellys form our biggest worry. Seems completely off which is not like him. Still unbeaten. Leinster final plus 50 point difference and Cody, Shine and Shane Murphy to return and needed.

njcat

Limerick looked awesome today. Alternatively, Cork are resting up and at 80% after peaking for the league final - same as Clare in 2024 and Limerick in 2023. We won't know until the All Ireland semi. Clare sacrificed the Munster final on their way to winning the AI.

I think we won't know how the top teams form & energy stand until the AI semis. To me, saving energy, staying healthy and reserving peak performance for the AI semis and final is the only way to beat this great Limerick team. Like the 4 in a row Kilkenny rebounded in 2011, I expect the same from Limerick unless Cork come to win after a 20 year wait - Cork have a habit of turning up for milestones like 1984; 20 years is a problem for them.

Kilkenny may stop Cork in the semi; our style is effective against Cork. Kilkenny have imo the best back 4 and if injury free can maintain the mid-third intensity for a full 74 mins. A big ask with the injuries mounting. Hopefully, like Clare in 2024, Mullen and Cody will be in peak form for the key games to give us that extra edge. We have to win Leinster first and that will be tough agsinst a resurgent Galway or Dublin.

The_Tank

We have serious problems to solve in our back line and there are lads there that as individual defenders just ain’t up to the level. And it unfortunately looks like we don’t have to personnel to do because no one is pushing them out. That said, if we defended like Cork did for that Gillane goal there would be lads meeting their inter country end.

Sir Chaz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123462967#Comment_123462967

Today was one game, yes they were fantastic this afternoon but that's still the team that lost to Cork twice and drew with Tipp in 3 of their last 6 championship games. It's a long summer and they'll need to back that up 2 or 3 times to deserve praise like that. Cork didn't turn up at all today they were absolutely septic all over the field, and Limerick steamrolled them with little resistance.
Corks softness looked well and truly back, good few disappearing acts from the usual suspects, defence shocking, and Hoggy looking his age. Few hard calls there the next day.

Marrooned

We have reached three Leinster finals in a week possibly all against Dublin. So far so good.

blackcard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123463589#Comment_123463589

Leinster Minor Hurling Final is against Galway. We beat Dublin in semi-final on Saturday

usualstripes

Blanchfield, Reid and Carey will need to up it big time of we are to cause any problems for Limerick, Cork or Tipp. Molloy was a passenger for most of the match yesterday but did open Dublin up for Billy Ryans last goal. Not sure how far he is away but Shane Murphy is a massive loss for us. I also thought that Stephen Donnelly, after having a good 1st half, hadnt the fitness to last much into the 2nd half. It was at that stage we should have brought in Luke Hogan and Makessy. We are neither fast enough or strong enough to stop runners coming at us and scoring goals. That is the biggest worry for me. However, were in a leinster final and we will hopefully get Shane Murphy and Eoin Cody back in the next few weeks. Owen Wall is a chap that could also bring a different aspect to our play. Id hope he gets some game time in Wexford park. Throw in Shine also if he has recovered. Not sure how serious Luke Hogans injury is but if he is ok, give him a start against Wexford. He was a breath of fresh air when he came in.

Box to box

We have seen it time and time again these round robin games are all for winning. Look back over the years not huge margins between the teams. Opposition teams have targeted the center and antrim,offally and Dublin yesterday could of scored more goals. What we would do for a kyle hayes at 6 someone with a presence. Deegan does the silliest things sometimes with the ball. Players in much better positions and instead of passing it he drives it a mile wide. Mikey Carey was all alone and all it needed was a simple pass to mossy but drove it over the line and they went down and got a point. The 2nd goal the Dublin players just threw killian doyle out of the way and walked in and stuck it in the net.

The level of coaching is still a good bit behind. There is very little movement for the puckouts. Richie reid hasn't being physical enough and teams are really targeting that line. This has being flagged a few years ago but management can't find a solution.mossy and Billy ryan are two of our most important fowards now.stephen donnelly got plenty of ball but he drove some wides he will be dissapointed with. John is struggling to get up to the pitch of things.

4 wins from 4 and into a leinster final with a game to spare is all we could ask for but big lessons to be learned. The wexford match is a dead rubber so plenty of lads should get gametime.tallis on goal,Zak and moylan in defence.I'd like them to try mackessy at 6.hopefully luke hogan injury isnt serious but he looked in a lot of discomfort. He looked dangerous when he came on

Well done again to Brian dowling in kildare. Another impressive result against laois and he is building up a nice little cv.

JJs Left Hand

There's loads of movement for the puck outs. The problem is the moves are finished before it's pucked rather than the ball landing as the moves finish.

droppingball

I noticed that about the puckouts too, forwards would make the run and murphy is pointing here there and everywhere to some of his backs instead or surveying what the runners are doing and then we are all over the place standing still by time he pucks it out. It's very frustrating and he is still not hitting short ones to hand, he put Mikey Carey in all kinds of bother with one during a period where we were under the cosh.

We have serious issues in that half back line, don't think any of them hurled well.

John Donnelly and Mullen look like they need the matches and have missed plenty of training. Good time to get a wake up call.

Thought Luke Hogans pace and direct running style created problems for Dublin and he offers something different

Hopefully his injury isn't too bad, there is definitely room for him in there as lots of our forwards are quite similar.

Billy Ryan is hurling well and is having is best season, hopefully he didn't do any damage to his ankle that time. Hopefully he can keep ot going.

Finally there was periods where TJ was inside on his own and the balls were fed to the corners and he lost foot races, poor awareness from our lads when delivering ball, we TJ in there for direct ball and Mossy running to space. Still a bit of fine tuning to do.