Kilkenny GAA Thread Part 2 **MOD NOTE POST 1***

Doesn't really affect the middle ages imo but it throws 12 year olds (and 11 year olds in most rural clubs) into competitive championship very early and leaves 18 year olds in no mans land. There is no proper U21 club championship in any county from what I can see (definitely not in Kilkenny) and very few 18 year olds are ready for senior hurling. It makes clubs second teams, if they have them, extremely important for developing them into adult hurlers. For smaller clubs with one team if you're not good enough to drop into the first 20 of your adult team out of the new minor then the drop off rate will escalate imo.

For the 11/12 year olds its not the competitive action I'd worry about but the lack of game time some will get plus an 11 year old on a full size pitch with a size 4 ball.....

Mullinavat v Dboro moved to Callan sunday 1.15

Hawkeye6 wrote: »

It does baffle me how the important issues seem to escape any discussion on forums, particularly this one. I would have thought the county in Leinster which has the second most rural population would be concerned about the reduction in the number of players that will be available to play at an age group. Maybe these forums are more for the senior inter county hurling enthusiast

Motion 20 – Minor Review Workgroup/Ard Chomhairle

(1) It proposes that underage Age Grades at Club level be altered from Under 12, 14, 16 and 18 to Under 11, 13, 15 and 17.
(2) It further proposes that the lower age level eligibility at different levels not be altered.
Example: In the case of Under 18 – a player shall have celebrated his 14th birthday prior to January 1st of the Championship year.
Effectively the eligibility age span in each case is reduced by one year.

Rubbish comment with more than a hint of arrogance. Lot of people here quite clearly go to matches at a variety of grades, both intercounty and club. There's no need to go down the puffed up chest "I'm a bigger GAA man than you" route which is as childish as it is pathetic. It's all up in the air at the moment, nothing has been voted in and until it is/isn't there's no point in throwing toys out of prams and even then we don't know how each individual county will handle it. There does seem to be a degree of flexibility. Kilkenny have top notch systems and I believe will adapt accordingly including making good any shortfalls. One counter idea, which was already outlined is Junior A/B being further used to bleed in younger players. There are other counties who should be dining at the top table more frequently but aren't because their systems are poor who will struggle more with this.

Dionysis wrote: »

There should be an
U-11
U-12
U-13
U-14
U-15
U-17
U-19
U-21

Why?
Between ages 11 and 15 you need to give lads game time and a year older makes a big difference at these grades. So you have a young lad from nearly two years to one year younger than the team age grade not able to make a team and getting no game. Keep them interested, play plenty games. Have the grades a year apart.
U-17 to U-21 is to large a gap, and the kk county board have proved that they are probably the worst in the country and converting underage talent to U-21. We need an U-19.
Development teams need to continue past 17 years, up to U-21.
A development team/divisional team, north and south playing in the senior grade needs to be created for those past U-21 who have talent but need more nurturing. Even if the GAA council go with lesser teams, kk need to implement there own strategy for improving talent in the county and improving the conversion rate to senior grades.

Would agree with this. Also, correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the whole idea behind this connected to player burnout? My reservation about following football over player burnout is that hurlers simply don't play the same volume of games at the top level. Let's say for arguments sake that Kilkenny (Galway is an extreme example as they only enter u21 at semis) won the All Irelands in senior and u21 this year and Liam Blanchfield had played in every game of both, he'd still have only played nine games (presuming Kilkenny went the direct route). Compare that to Dublin winning both in football and someone playing every game and it's a total of 11 (again presuming direct routes). It's only two games but two games are still two extra sessions of preparation, training, playing etc. So this ham fisted manner of shoehorning a football idea into hurling is flawed from the outset.

Returning to your idea, which I think is spot on, if player burnout is all this is about then certain roles could be brought in. For example, a player under the age of 21 can only play a maximum number of games/attend a maximum number of training sessions (difficult to police I know) per fortnight/month. Thereby limits could be placed on clubs/counties to prevent overusing players.

Also, the developmental teams need to be fairer. It is nigh on impossible if not impossible for a young player who doesn't attend Kieran's or the CBS to get onto a developmental team in Kilkenny. The impression given is that if you don't attend Kieran's/CBS the powers that be don't think you're up to scratch but it's a big ask for any kid from areas like Piltown, Tullogher or Ferrybank to travel to Kilkenny to school when secondary schools in Mooncoin, New Ross and Waterford are much closer. That's where a southern developmental panel would help but lads from the south shouldn't find it more difficult to get onto the county development panel than lads who have easy access to Kieran's/CBS.

FCIM wrote: »

Desperate poor stuff between O'Loughlins and Comer. Referee not helping by blowing for everything either. Second half could be tense though as there doesn't look to be anything between the teams.

Who won?

FT OG 1-18 EO 0-13

Great second half - FT BS 2-14 C 2-14

FCIM wrote: »

Desperate poor stuff between O'Loughlins and Comer. Referee not helping by blowing for everything either. Second half could be tense though as there doesn't look to be anything between the teams.

Agreed. The ref was very whistle happy, never let anything develop. Made it a very frustrating match to watch.

WhatsGoingOn2 wrote: »

Agreed. The ref was very whistle happy, never let anything develop. Made it a very frustrating match to watch.

Absolutely, it was a very poor dour affair anyway but the referee was awful. He never ever allowed any flow or pattern to develop whatsoever. Some of the frees he awarded were baffling. The goal straight after the break killed Erin's Own totally. It was baffling that they assigned Conor Delaney to follow Mark Bergin who was pretty non existent in the game all over the field. Delaney not playing at full back hurt them badly especially in the case of the goal conceded. Mark Bergin is not a Richie Hogan, Richie Power etc that you need to worry about him. The full back today was the cause of the goal and if Conor Delaney was there I'd be confident it would not have been conceded. Just a thought that the Comer management paid too much respect in that particular call. Thought Conor Fogarty really worked hard and got on a world of ball. Comer actually had the better goal chances and had 2 or 3 clear cut openings. O'Loughlin Gaels will have to improve on today if they are to do 2 in a row.

The second game was a case of 'which team shot themselves in the foot'???

Ballyhale relinquished an 8 point half time lead and barely...BARELY hung on for a draw in the end. Clara could look at it as have shot themselves in the foot by driving 4 or 5 crazy wides in the closing few minutes of game to win the game.

Chris Bolger woke up in the second half and cause all kinds of problems for the Ballyhale backs who are suspect in the corners in particular with Kevin Mullen getting isolated against Bolger. David Langton, Jack Langton, Liam Ryan all had winning match opportunities but failed to show the clinical edge to see it home.

Ballyhale hurled like they have all year, blitzes in 5 or 10 minute periods but they are seriously reliant on TJ Reid to drag them. Colin Fennelly on the whole was very poor in my opinion, he had a scoring chance right in front of goal in first half 35 metres out and couldn't strike it over the bar. His finishing is not good enough, Lester was not up to much. The second half was exciting as Clara took a hold across the half backline and mid field area and totally dominated the exchanges and breaking ball across this area. Thought the game badly needed Henry to come in for the closing 12 minutes for Ballyhale to settle them down, win a free or get a score to show some leadership. Surprising he was not introduced but maybe He is still injured. Richie Reid was the best at the back for Ballyhale. The difference in the referring in the two games was worlds apart. Sean Cleere brought sense to the 2nd game, called the obvious fouls but allowed physicality, flow, pattern and intensity to the 2nd game. The first referee was a jackass.

The first ref let that bull**** go on too long with paddy deegan rolling around in agony when Moran tapped the ball away to prevent a quick free. According to KCLR it was a dirt pull, embarrassing stuff and shouldn't be allowed to creep into hurling. Best team won on the day but worrying that Gorta was one of the stand out players.

brookville wrote: »

Gorta has being olg best forward for the last couple of years so it's no surprise to still see him doing it,i also thought delaney and fogarty worked hard and murphy caused a few problems up front,the referee ruined the game with the frees I thought cleere done a good job.I was very impressed with conor o shea at 6 today he was very strong and despite some terrible shooting there was some good hurling in it.
Tj was quite today and quite against the rower by his own high standards maybe he needs a break.
The replay will probably be thomastown although it could be the bridge or gowran.
Hopefully tomorrow morning is fine I heard today richie power could start against the village

I though TJ had a good game though hit some poor wides.

brookville wrote: »

Comerman wrote: »

The first ref let that bull**** go on too long with paddy deegan rolling around in agony when Moran tapped the ball away to prevent a quick free. According to KCLR it was a dirt pull, embarrassing stuff and shouldn't be allowed to creep into hurling. Best team won on the day but worrying that Gorta was one of the stand out players.

Gorta has being olg best forward for the last couple of years so it's no surprise to still see him doing it,i also thought delaney and fogarty worked hard and murphy caused a few problems up front,the referee ruined the game with the frees I thought cleere done a good job.I was very impressed with conor o shea at 6 today he was very strong and despite some terrible shooting there was some good hurling in it.
Tj was quite today and quite against the rower by his own high standards maybe he needs a break.
The replay will probably be thomastown although it could be the bridge or gowran.
Hopefully tomorrow morning is fine I heard today richie power could start against the village

The two relegation matches are also scheduled for Saturday. Maybe they could do a double header with Bridge Martin's Ballyhale Clara at Nowlan Park or Kells Road. Hope they don't clash like the ridiculous situation tomorrow

blackcard wrote: »

The two relegation matches are also scheduled for Saturday. Maybe they could do a double header with Bridge Martin's Ballyhale Clara at Nowlan Park or Kells Road. Hope they don't clash like the ridiculous situation tomorrow

1st round Leinster JFC is in Nowlan on Saturday at 2. Probably find that there's a better spread of times for the hurling as I'm suspicious that the reason the senior and intermediate matches are at the same time tomorrow is that the county board only earn out of matches at Nowlan Park so they're trying to maximise their return on the matches being hosted there (quite myopically as junior matches won't pull neutrals in, I'll be there but have an interest in one of the teams playing).

2 more draws today so.

Clutch out of the Boro outscoring Mullinavat 1-3 to no score in the last 10

blackcard wrote: »

Best club game I attended this year as Shock drew with the Village in a full blooded encounter. Luke Scanlon led Stephens fightback from six points down. John Power was the best player on view imo with Michael Rice starring also. Credit to both teams. 7 big matches to be played next week

Right match alright with a big crowd,carrickshock will be disgusted not to have won,richie power was lively in the 1st half and could of being sent off for a high tackle in the 2nd although yellow card was fair enough,it wasnt a dirty match but some heavy hitting.
John power was lively hopefully we'll see him in the county colours next year,dalton,tennyson and rice all good.
Unfortunately for us the supporters is they'll probably clash next wknd