Kilkenny GAA Thread

The Flying Donkey

The key issue which we haven’t solved since Mick Fennelly’s retirement in 2017 is midfield. In fairness to management, they have tried so many players and no one has made it their own.

Looking at last year’s club scene, Cian Kenny and Ronan Corcoran were probably the two standout players in that position. Kenny probably needs time to fill out and a bit more experience before he can become a full time starter in midfield at IC level. Ronan Corcoran was unfortunate with the hand injury as I’m sure he could have slotted straight in given he’s a bit older and that bit more conditioning done.

Now this may be a little left field as most of his hurling has been at half back for club and county, but I think Darragh Corcoran is worth trying in midfield. He looks to have become physically stronger over the last year, covers the ground reasonably well, can take a score from long range and looks to break the tackle. His natural defensive instincts could be a good foil for Adrian Mullen or Alan Murphy or James Maher and can provide some protection to Richie Reid if he remains at centre back. Plus it helps that he’s rangy and would make us more difficult to play around.

I agree with previous comments that Blanchfield should start at wing back given his distribution of the ball is of a higher standard and it’s no harm that you’re not going to outfield him on opposition puckouts.

I’d like to see John Donnelly at wing forward and Billy Ryan in at corner forward playing off of Mossie and Eoin Cody. We need lads who can win their own ball and finish. Both Billy and Donnelly have demonstrated that. Billy looks a little lost for confidence as he should have buried that chance off his right against Wexford instead of checking back into his left. But I would persist with him and even if he isn’t going well early, keep encouraging him. We don’t have many inside forwards of his calibre.

Our attempts of having Wally, TJ and Padraig Walsh as our half forward line isn’t going to work. The amount of energy that you need for the position is asking a lot for lads near or over 30 years of age. Another left field idea I have is that Paddy Deegan be moved to the half forward line as his energy is rarely lacking and he would make the ball that much harder to clear. Plus he would be in scoring range instead of sending high ball into the forwards.

Grats

You have to wonder why we can't settle on two midfielders despite trying so many. Could it be that our lack of overall game plan is stifling prospects in that area, and indeed throughout the field? Too many players appear to be lacking confidence and this ain't going to change under present management. It doesn't matter who plays in which position if there's no clear plan. Roll on next year when hopefully there'll be new management to add a freshness and confidence to the panel.

usernamethatsnotinuse

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119112650#Comment_119112650

I would take Davy at this stage, at least there would be a plan, better man management, wouldn't have seen the **** show last week with the high balls

Village87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119112650#Comment_119112650

Players simply not good enough, I have been stating here for years that Fogarty and Buckley have been very poor since some of the great players have left/retired. Alan Murphy is not an Inter County midfielder has neither the athleticism or physicality required. Adrian Mullen and Cian Kenny could potentially solve the problem in the next few years but they also both lack the physicality required at the moment. I would stick with Mullen for the moment. There is a reason Cody left Richie Reid on the bench for 10 years. He is not good enough, he might catch the eye on loose ball every now and then but when the going gets tough, Richie disappears. Very poor display from him Saturday. As fellow members have stated here Paddy Deegan could be an option there, I am critical of his hurling and defending which leaves a lot to be desired but he has the physicality that's required for that position at the moment.

Grats

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119112916#Comment_119112916

True, with the limited talent available he made Wexford very competitive. Our players are as good as any other county but are being stifled by "tactics" of the past. The under 20s proved with modern management techniques we're as good as any.

I don't buy the lazy argument that the players aren't there.

Realt Dearg Sec

What is the actual role of a midfielder in our teams game plan? Hard to be good at the job when it's completely unclear what the job actually is. You aren't the launching pad for attacks because that's either the puck out or the half backs. You aren't really working short ball up the field because if you were thered be running off the shoulder from the wing forwards when you're in possession. Buckley seemed to be at sea there recently, just kind of wandering around looking for loose ball. It's not clear at all to me what the job is for our midfield. So they're getting cleaned out

usernamethatsnotinuse

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119113121#Comment_119113121

would have liked to have seen him get the Galway job to see what he could do tactically with a better team. Still texting the wexford players before the games he was saying to check how they're going, complete opposite end of the spectrum from what we have at the moment in terms of man management

Grats

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119113183#Comment_119113183

That's exactly what I was trying to understand. Think you've answered it.

_NAGDEFY

I see an upload today of an old video about a new Kilkenny manager in 2009. Jaysus😅

https://youtu.be/ye0nbD0RYGg

JJs Left Hand

Sorry now but are people taking the piss about Davy Fitz? Ye'd want to be and if you're not give yourselves a slap.

I agree with Realt. Our midfield doesn't have a function. That's exacerbated by the fact that every team we play has a function for their midfield or play a running game. Fogarty isn't most peoples cup of tea in here and realistically he's getting on now but he plays a crucial role when we don't have the ball. He was brilliant in the 1st half of the semi final last year in particular for dropping into the half back line and cutting out the ball going into the corner. His job has never been about what he can with ball in hand. Whether he can still play that defensive role after a year with no games who knows.

We'd be as well off playing two defenders there, anchoring them to our own 65 and giving Carey and his opposite half back freedom to gallop up the field.

usernamethatsnotinuse

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119114383#Comment_119114383

not looking for him, don’t worry, haven’t completely lost it, just want someone with a clear plan and man management skills. But if it was a choice of another year of the same……

Not against fogarty, but like Buckley it’s an issue of age and injuries. Might get a good 30 minutes, still need someone else

Formosa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119113449#Comment_119113449

Uncannily like BC's man-management skills...

Village87

Split season is working out to be a great success so far. Big crowds, great games and most importantly the intercounty players will get a good break and enjoy the summer with clubs before going back at it again. Gives them a good break. Previously successful teams like Kilkenny would play until August/September, back to clubs until close to November and then back training the third week of November with Intercounty. Now they can finish June/ July and enjoy the summer. From July onwards club action will kick in and we will be spoiled for action.

Rosita

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119122204#Comment_119122204

Weird to think an All Ireland final used to happen as late as September.

Billy Ocean

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119122204#Comment_119122204

Absolutely, these "debates" on the Sunday Game on the matter are the biggest load of agenda driven nonsense you'll see.

Realt Dearg Sec

can see an argument for an extra week between the league and champo, and maybe extend champo a week somewhere to let everyone rest up, but would be disgusted if they went back to January-September inter county. It took Covid for a sensible calendar to be in place, I don't see the benefit of going back. the idea about getting the press coverage, is there any evidence to support that at all? I feel like having lots of matches thick and fast tends to actually increase the interest in championship rather than one or two matches every fortnight and stuff (but that's just a feeling, I've no evidence to support it either). I remember when KK were at our peak we sometimes only played four matches in a year, spread out over a few months. talk about keeping the Ferrari in the garage. Was very hard to be excited week to week, when you had huge gaps between matches.

New setup is bad for me personally because I am less likely to be home in Ireland when there's matches on involving us. My only hope this year is if we make a final, so that seems unlikely. But the club game is much better served this way by far, and round robin championship with frequent games is fantastic fun.

My main complaint now is they should go back to a six team league. Much better competition than the dross now where no top team is at all motivated.

kksaints

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119124167#Comment_119124167

The press coverage issue is probably to do with weekends like last weekend where the Munster matches clashed with the last day of the Premier League in England and this weekend where the Provincial Finals on the Saturdays clash with the Rugby Heineken Cup and they moved the Leinster Final forward to avoid a clash with the Champions League Final. There's also potential clashes in the years ahead when the World Cup and Euros are played in their traditional times in June and July. Personally feel that the benefits of the split season outweigh these issues but for someone like RTE I can see their issues with it as it damages ratings.

Must love hardship

The lads speaking on the Sunday game are looking out for themselves. What do they get per episode?? €1000 plus expenses.. of course they want more games and a longer season.

Maybe they should push for Rte to cover more league matches or club games..

The Sunday game used to be a weekly highlight. Now its actually very poor. If they didn't have the highlights I wouldn't bother watching..

A lot more insight to be gained from the multiple hurling podcasts that are out there now.. hopefully with the current gaa media rights due for renewal there might be a change and some midweek proper Show. Really it would be great if they separated the hurling and football and did 2 separate shows and a Friday night preview show

corner back 2

I see that James Owens is reffing the Leinster final. You can only hope that previous perceived bias doesn't rear it's head. I would have to say that when he reffed Clare (another county who feel he is biased against them) earlier in the championship he was very fair. I inherently believe that refs are honest people but they are also human. It is entirely possible that somewhere in the subconscious a seed of dislike against a certain team exists and this can influence decisions in the heat of championship. The best example I can think of is Barry Kelly towards Kilkenny.

Grats

On the plus side, Owens wouldn't be pro Shefflin either!!!

brookville

Strange build up to the leinster final less than a week away. The performance the last day is one thing,players can have bad days and kk usually die with their boots on but the braindead tactics of lumping every ball down to a sweeper has left supporters low on confidence. We seen how the u20 can play to a certain system in a few months the seniors have being trying to do this a few years but we're no further advanced.

I'd expect 4 or 5 changes but alot of our players are at a similar level. If eoin cody is held by mannion we will probably struggle for scores.i do expect a much better performance from kk and we usually play better in croke park. We definitely need huw full back he's our most consistent defender.it would be hard guess the team which is disappointing.

I heard a few pundits advising costello from the Dublin County board to go after Eddie Brennan if mattie kenny leaves his post as manager.Eddie has being involved with cuala and was very well got. We could have Henry and Eddie in nowlan Park next year up against cody.

Must love hardship

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119132761#Comment_119132761

Did Eddie say in an interview previously that he would prefer the coaching side of the game rather than the management side?

Am I right that he is actually the coach at Cuala and John Twomey is the Manager..im sure if/when the Dublin comes up Eddie could be one of the names in the mix along with a number of ex kilkenny hurlers.

Herrity, Fennelly, Dowling, Lyng.

The Waterford job might be available too..

Fred Daly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119132761#Comment_119132761

Will many travel Saturday night bank holiday weekend , would you think Kilkenny have the capacity to make four or five changes a few would need to be made on the sideline.

usualstripes

I don't think there will be a big crowd in for the match.

As regards changes anything is possible. For a start Padraig Walsh needs to play from the start. If Huw is ok he will slot back it to number 3.

Who knows what other changes, if any, will happen.

PeggyShippen

There's vert little fanfare or excitement about Saturdays game. The comparison to the build up to the Munster final is stark. It might be time to take tbe Leinster final out of Dublin of there's less than 35,000 expected. The problem there is Leinster don't really have a 30 to 35,000 capacity stadium.

Kilkennys midfield is a conundrum. Every team left in the competition has a settled midfield at this stage except the Cats. Alan Murphy definately isn't the answer but of the guys that have been tried none have been allowed to grow into the position. One bad half and they feel tbe shepherds crook. You can't build confidence like that. Put it this way ,if Will O Donoghue was from Kilkenny he wouldn't be in Cody's squad because he was brutal at the start . He'd no touch and was like a bouncer late to a fight falling in ontop of guys and giving away frees. He couldn't score ,can still miss sitters but Kiely said we can make him better...cajoled him and saw improvement. He's a good player now. He does exactly the job he's asked to do. I couldn't see him being developed by Cody even though Cody has often kept fellas around the panel for years before giving them their head. I think Cody wouldn't have put the time into it.

Kilkenny have to win Saturday to give the All Ireland a rattle. They won't beat Cork in the backdoor and their confidence will be gone after losing 3 games. If they win and get to a semi they could win that and suddenly tradition and know how would cover over alot of cracks in a final

usernamethatsnotinuse

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119133414#Comment_119133414

I think for the experience of playing in croke park before semis/finals its worth sacrificing the numbers a bit. The next biggest ground in Leinster only holds 22000 so there isn't really an option

Illness and injury has pretty much destroyed every midfielder we had over the last few years. Think that might be a slightly unfair analysis of Cody, there's been plenty of players where we were wondering how on earth they could even make the bench for a long time before they came good. Wouldn't have picked a good few of them out at a club match. Wont get much confidence from being left on and getting cleaned out either but its far from a confidence issue we have at the moment

Hard to know what to expect Saturday or what sort of team will be picked, dont think Galway are going all that much better either, a result isn't impossible unless there's a repeat of the wexford game lumping ball down on them for 60 mins. A good few of the players haven't played well all year so its not like its a once off bad performance they need to bounce back from. Think I would be moving Carey to midfield and Deegan to the half forward line if Hue is back, a few more players going better at the back, would have to start Delaney and Reid then.

Been a poor year overall with all the one sided games, looking like its down to Galway and Clare to decide the other finalist

Village87

As a hurling fan it is much more convenient to go to Thurles Sunday for the Munster final rather than travel to Croke Park Saturday evening for the Leinster final. Would it not make more sense going forward that the team that tops the group gets to have a home Leinster/Munster final.

briancoolcat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119133414#Comment_119133414

Sorry I admire your optimism but not a hope of winning an all Ireland. We will die on our backs and might beat Galway although I don't expect we will. Any of the teams left know exactly what Kilkenny are going to do once the pressure comes on and can plan accordingly. We are so predictable and stale we must be the easiest county to plan for. I have it from good authority that after the Galway loss the players were told in the dressing room by Cody to stop messing around with the short game and just go out and hurl. Now what do you do with a manager like that????? I've said it before here numerous times we will not be winning another all Ireland until we have a new management team in place that embraces the modern game. It's moved on and we haven't or won't under Brian Cody.

MfMan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119133785#Comment_119133785

You could always play it in Pearse stadium, capacity 27K, and enjoy a nice afternoon by the sea!

BENDYBINN

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119133911#Comment_119133911

Have Kilkenny ever won in salthill?