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

brookville wrote: »

It's a shame darren mullen isn't in the county certainly as good as some that are being trialed.Delaney going well by all accounts it's only a matter of time before he makes his debut.blanchfield playing wing back which is surprising given he played all his hurling in attack I know he was moved the last day but I doubt that will do his confidence any good.
Great to see donnelly hurling well and a lovely flick to make the goal.

I went in to see it. DCU got an early goal and were 3pts up at half time. They scored about 5pts in a row just after half time to finish the game. John Donnelly was decent alright. Floated about and picked up some decent scores. Touch and control was good. Mullen was tidy in the backs - sharp and good skill. Delaney was ok without being spectacular. Blanchfield played most of game in half back and did ok. DCU have a lot of county men!

Team I'd like to see against Waterford

Murphy

Holden
Delaney
Deegan

Walsh
Buckley
Morrissey

Fogarty
Lester

Keoghan
TJ
Leahy

Murphy
Wally
Donnelly

Although I don't think deegan is a corner back he could improve with consistent minutes there. Enda morrisey is worth the start after some decent games off the bench. Keoghan and Donnelly could be the two next Young lads to really break through and cement their spot on the team

Infairness to cody his given a lot of lads gametime,I'd like to see a couple of the men from vegas given a run,its a pity tom aylward has being injured.he mightnt consider delaney or donnelly with fitzgibbon next week.I would of liked to have seen richie reid tried half back but he was decent up to the clare match.

Wouldn't be surprised if Darren Brennan started Sunday to give him some experience

This is from the Kilkenny People.

Kilkenny GAA blueprint: Development Squads system and approach to coaching to change
Feb 2018
Kilkenny GAA blueprint: Development Squads system and approach to coaching to change
A new approach to development squads, plus a refocus on the coaching of young players in clubs, were the key points of two information nights hosted by the Kilkenny Coaching & Games Committee recently.
More than 500 people attended the discussions, which included members of all Kilkenny hurling and Gaelic football squads from under-14 to under-17 levels as well as their parents/guardians, squad coaches and mentors.
New Age Grades
Chairman of the Kilkenny Coaching and Games Committee Pat Tynan (Danesfort) welcomed the large attendance on both nights.
He spoke of the changes in ages for competitions. Under-7 participants will be called ‘Kittens’, the under-9 players will be ‘Cats’ with under-11 participants called ‘Cubs’. Players at under-13, 15 and 17 grades will fall under the jurisdiction of Kilkenny Bórd na nÓg.
Inter-county squads will continue at U14, U15, U16 & U17 levels with Kilkenny participating in the following tournaments this year:
Two under-14 squads will compete in the Tony Forristal and Sonny Walsh Tournaments in Waterford, with two under-154 squads in action in the Arrabawn & Tipperary Tournament.
Kilkenny will also have two under-16 squads competing in the Michael Foley Tournament in Wexford while at under-17 level Kilkenny will participate in the Celtic Challenge with a squad of players from the extended 2018 county minor and under-16 squads.
Kilkenny will also participate in the minor hurling championship which, from this year, is at under-17 grade. No under-17 players will be allowed to play at adult levels in future.
Mr Tynan noted another new initiative this year, whereby all squad members are required to wear Kilkenny gear which will clearly identify their involvement with a Kilkenny development squad. This will ensure that the Kilkenny GAA identify is to the forefront at all times.
Development Squads
Kilkenny Games Development Manager, Brian Ryan, outlined his role and that of his two colleagues Sean Kelly and P.J. Ryan in helping to turn the potential of young players into talented hurlers, developing their skills along the way.
Mr Ryan identified the values of involvement with a Kilkenny GAA development squad where players are seen as role models by their club peers, with an aim to be the best they can be for their club and county. Squad involvement is ultimately geared at preparing young players for inter-county action, while improving friendship among players plus developing their social skills are key elements of the development squad system.
Squad involvement also helps to develop coaches. It was noted that the most of the individuals currently involved with Kilkenny minor, under-21 and senior teams have worked as development squad coaches at some stage.
Mr Ryan emphasised the importance of a proper games-based approach to player development, stressing the need for a balance between skill development and physical development of young players.
At the core of such development was, in the words of Mr. Ryan, “the need for all players involved with development squads to enjoy the experience”.
Delivering an appropriate games programme requires close co-operation between Kilkenny Coaching and Games Committee and Kilkenny Bórd na nÓg. This will ensure that all development squad activities are factored into the enhanced games schedule.
It has been decided to base all development squads at the MW Hire Centre this year. An invitation has been extended to club coaches to attend the Saturday morning sessions to see at first-hand how the programme is being delivered. All development squad dates will be published in due course on the Kilkenny GAA website.
Late developers are not been forgotten either. Two regional development squads (North & South) are being established this year.
Clubs will be invited to send players to the coaching sessions, which will be held at the same time as the development squad sessions. The regional programme will ensure that players who may not have been selected to date for development squads now have another route on to the squads.
Garda Vetting
Legislation changes means clubs must upskill anyone working with young players.
Under new Government legislation, ‘The Children’s First Act’, means every GAA club must ensure that anyone dealing with young players has undertaken a Safeguarding Course and they must also be Garda vetted.
Kilkenny Youth Officer, Caroline Clifford stressed the importance of all clubs adhering to the new regulations which are now compulsory.
Safeguarding courses are currently being delivered by Conor Brennan (Conahy Shamrocks) and an additional tutor, Carmel Kenny (Clara) will also commence rolling out the training in the near future. Ms Clifford noted that there was an onus on each club to organise the training with the qualified tutors.
Most clubs, she noted, should be well-used to Garda vetting procedures, although she stressed that new Officers may not be as familiar with the process.
The club Children’s Officer is the key individual overseeing the submission of Garda Vetting applications. If clubs are in any doubt as to what they should do they are advised to contact the Kilkenny Youth Officer, Caroline Clifford. The Garda Vetting form is available for downloading from the Kilkenny GAA web site.
Club personnel involved with young players (from Under 18 down) are obliged to undergo the Safe Guarding course every three years, while individuals must renew their Garda Vetting status every five years.
Learning from former Stars and other sports
The importance of the skills of the game and the need for constant practice is vital to give development squad players every opportunity to progress on to the senior hurling panel.
Former Kilkenny senior hurler Tommy Walsh addressed the meeting, encouraging young players to focus on passion, commitment and self-determination as a pathway for success.
Manager of the Leinster Rugby Academy, Peter Smyth, also gave an insightful talk on how his province develops its young rugby players. It was clear from his address that there is much common ground between the GAA and rugby in how both implement their Player Development Pathway programmes.
See next week’s Kilkenny People for more

All age groups iirc - 14/15/16

The biggest issue I have with the underage setup in Kilkenny is the fixtures. Throughout the winter lads get weekly or at least fortnightly games in soccer and rugby. Its consistent. Then they get to summer and they actually get to play **** all hurling. Massive gaps in games. Middle of February and I still don't know when U15 is starting. It was mentioned at that meeting probably early April. And they think the Paddy Grace U14 Feile will be around Paddys weekend. If you can't give kids and parents definitive dates it's near impossible to get them to train at this time of the year when they can be playing competitive matches in other sports.

Infuriating.

brookville wrote: »

Kevin had very little hurling done before last weekend he'll probably be given time to get over his injury and get up to speed. We might see a one or two ballyragget lad's added to the panel.
I wonder will cody stick to experimenting or will he use tj and fogarty who are expected to be back,lester has being a strange ommission but his trying to blood new players.I'd like to see a few changes in defence but wally definitely needs a bit more help up front.

Cody doesn't rate Lester Ryan.
That is absolutely clear.
The only time ryan got serious game time in the league he was the best player in it.
Can anyone remember what was significant about that season ?

usualstripes wrote: »

minty81 wrote: »

Wouldn't be surprised if Darren Brennan started Sunday to give him some experience

Whatever about Darren Brennan starting I did hear ger aylward might be in line to come in.
I would hope he has put his injuries behind him.
He definitely came back too early from his injuries and wasn't good last year but from all accounts he has been doing some serious work the past 2 months. If he does start or come in hopefully he will add some guile to the forwards.

Agree on this regarding aylward he probably rushed things getting back but I've heard his working very hard to get back he definitely would be an addition if he can get some form back he was excellent in 16.
On the match sunday you'd expect a bit of size in the team it's a hard place to get a result and it might not be pretty but the losers of this will be under pressure to stay up.

brookville wrote: »

Agree on this regarding aylward he probably rushed things getting back but I've heard his working very hard to get back he definitely would be an addition if he can get some form back he was excellent in 16.
On the match sunday you'd expect a bit of size in the team it's a hard place to get a result and it might not be pretty but the losers of this will be under pressure to stay up.

Kilkenny badly need the win Sunday.

Kilkenny are trying out a lot of younger players who have played this and last years league.Most of them have yet to win a match in a Kilkenny jersey. Once Kilkenny were so mentally strong and now they have a habit of losing these tight games. GThey have to beak that habit and start winning these tight matches again. Some Kilkenny players could be playing there 4/5th game with Kilkenny and still looking for there first win ?

greenspurs wrote: »

..... in a nearly development squad.

Rebuilding etc, so I don't see the panic or rush yet.
It would be great to start winning but I guess its all about blooding the untried, and hoping some will shine.

Still there is a lot of the more established names playing. Eoin Murphy, Holden Buckley,Wally Walsh, Fogarty, Padraig Walsh, Joe Lyng. So i would not really use the word "Development". Of the players absent TJ, Riche, Colin Fennelly, Paul Murphy, there all 29, 30 at this stage so form and consistency, injuries is a big question mark over them. Kilkenny are more or less playing a strong a hand at present. Losing 60%/70% of your matches over the last 2 years and a losing mentality creeping in is not ideal for the current squad of younger players

Tom aylward is recovered from injury I wonder could we see him sunday?wouldn't be worst game to throw him in full back definitely good as rob lennon and deserves a run.

greenspurs wrote: »

If the 7 you named were playing, that leaves 8 "less" established players playing. I would not consider that a strong hand !
Ok you disagree with me using "development" , as in the players are developing,
but you end the post by saying "current squad of younger players" ...

100% agree with you. If you look at the lads who played in our league matches so far this year in terms of their experience at Senior intercounty level it's well short of what we have been used to and as a consequence so have the results.

I'm categorising them as follows
Veteran- Has played lots of Inter county games and showed be well prepared for whats thrown at him
Experienced- Has played a decent bit of intercounty but probably has got a consistent run but should know what he will be facing
Junior- Has played a limited amount of league and championship games and is still figuring it out.
Novice- first year or first time to get games at this level.
Also listed how many minutes they've played so far this league.

Eoin Murphy- Veteran-8th year -140mins
Joey Holden- Veteran-5th year -140mins
Padraig Walsh- Veteran-7th year -140mins
Paddy Deegan- Junior-2nd year -140mins
Conor O'Shea- Experienced-3rd year-96mins
Joe Lyng- Junior-5th year -89mins - no championship starts and very few league starts either
Cillian Buckley- Veteran-7th year -134mins
Conor Fogarty- Veteran-8th year -70mins
James Maher- Junior- 3rd year -127mins
Martin Keoghan- Novice-1st year -86mins
Richie Reid- Junior-4th year -96mins -on the panel a while but first starts in the league out field
Pat Lyng- Junior-2nd year -114mins -missed games due to injury, got little time
Alan Murphy- Novice-1st year -119mins
Walter Walsh- Veteran-7th year -140mins
Conor Martin- Junior-3rd year -42mins -(I think he's there 3 years) with very few starts
TJ Reid- Veteran- 12th year - 28mins
John Donnelly- Novice-1st year -90mins
Liam Blanchfield- Junior-3rd year -29mins
Richie Leahy- Junior-2nd year -83mins -had little game time last year due to injury
Enda Morrissey- Novice-1st year -57mins
Robert Lennon- Experienced-4th year -44mins
Ollie Walsh- Junior-2nd year -26mins
Bill Sheehan- Novice-1st year -70mins

So out of 23 players we've seen in the league we had (according to my judgement/ranking system)
7 Veterans = 30%
2 Experienced = 8.7%
9 Junior = 39%
5 Novice = 21.7%

in terms of minutes played that's 2100 mins (i'm just counting the games as 70mins)
Veterans played 792mins or 37.7%
Experienced played 140mins or 6.7%
Junior played 746mins or 35.5%
Novice played 422mins or 20.1%

For me having 55.6% of time played for us by inexperienced/new to intercounty players is huge. I would say up to a few years ago that percentage would have been about 20% of time played by junior or novice players.

For me it's a positive that so many lads are getting a run out, it's about time. Up to now lads would have been slotted into a settled team and asked to preform with strong, experienced players to back them up. I would give most of our lads who've played so far this year a lot of time as they're dealing with a completely different kettle of fish than any Kilkenny hurler, has probably had to deal with since the mid 90's. I think the more game time they get the better. I think over the next year or two these guys will really drive on and be challenging again. I would have liked to see Cody try more players over the last two years in the league but he didn't. I would also still like to see him give more lads a shot in defence. The only back to get his first game for the county so far is Enda Morrissey and he's done well. I would love to see the likes of Conor Delaney, Tom Aylward, Steve Staunton, Tommy Walsh and few others get a go.

Conor Delaney to full back, O' Shea to wing back, PW to midfield. *crosses fingers*

Everyone writing us off I'm pleased he's making lots of changes should have a better understanding of who he wants for the summer would like to see more of sheehan and pleased scanlons back. If you take the potential of the young lads and then the experienced ones, plus the lads to come back from overseas/injuries the panel looks decent

JJs Left Hand wrote: »

Conor Delaney to full back, O' Shea to wing back, PW to midfield. *crosses fingers*

Like that's going to happen. This is the fourth consecutive game he has picked the same full back line so bar a major meltdown I think we can safely assume this is BC's idea of our full back line for the Championship. Glad to see Leahy, Keoghan and Donnelly getting valuable game time and Delaney ( seeing as himself and Donnelly won't be available for the Tipp match) and Ryan getting their first Senior competitive run out.