I would say the free count was 2:1. Got over the line in the end. I think KK were the better team but again we look like a team not able to play to it's strengths. Weren't able to get our better players into it.
Thought Goalie and Full back were very solid, 2 great saves from them at the end. Dunne had a great first 20 and last 10. I think the 6 backs overall are a solid bunch.
Doyle midfield like a carbon copy of Richie Leahy
Shine was out of the game completely and other forwards seemed to struggle too for consistency and taking the right option.
Cork seem to be the team to beat at this grade. Hopefully our lads will continue to improve.
Hard luck to Wexford, they deserved to win.
Goalie saved us twice with blinding saves.
Our forwards were outworked by Wexford backs and similar to Offaly game, frequently overplayed the ball and/or took poor options.
Well done Kilkenny, they undoubtedly have some really talented players, but they will need a much better performance to beat Galway.
I can't believe how open they were at the end of the game. Corner back following his man out to the 65 yard line and leaving 2 on 2 inside. Wexford have to score a goal surely the most obvious thing in the world to do is sit someone in front of the 2 full backs?
Anyway, that's just me moaning. Well done to players and management, nice for lads that age to experience that level of success.
Do they play Galway next?
Kilkenny were well on top in the first half despite the scoreline but struggled in the second half. Not sure if Wexford had a sweeper. Kilkenny the better team but could have lost it in the end.
Less said about the referee the better.
Did you have a free count? Ref not fit to ref a junior B game
Ref is absolutely going to town on KK. Should have been well in control after 20 mins though and going to do well to win it now
What did Kilkenny ever do to this referee?
Should be well up here. Dominated the first 20 minutes but didn't put the scores on the board. The ref has been good to Wexford, the free count seems heavily in their favour. They face a battle here so let's see...
Who's this ref? What was that goal disallowed for?
Good God! in the commentary I was listening to, the co-commentator Cathal Moore, was positively pro-Dublin, e.g. agreeing every time they were awarded a free etc. I don't think the main commentator is Galwegian. Thought also Dublin were physically a lot stronger than Galway, especially around midfield. It took until the closing stages for Galway's 'tippy-tappy' hurling to finally yield dividends. McDonagh is a spiky character but his first card was very harsh.
I agree with both of ye but can't see a change coming in the short term. I think the GAA forced Tipp into changing the age grades this year as they'd stuck to 14/16/18 up to now. They're not going to reverse that decision. Arguably the move to U20 has more of an effect than U18 ever had on LC students
Exactly. Without a doubt a terrible decision which will have nothing but bad consequences for Kilkenny and the GAA. For most players, they are simply giving the games up a year earlier when they finish u17. How does that benefit anyone? But it is actually worse for the players who have the interest to keep going. They are now expected to compete straight away at age 17 against hardened adults without any games amongst their own age group. A year makes a huge difference in terms of both physical and mental maturity and all players regardless of ability would benefit from that extra year at under age. The Leaving Cert is no longer an issue as most students are now 18 1/2 doing this exam and would be over age anyway. There is so much talk about development squads etc but it is all pointless if the game is not strong at club level and the decision to go back to u17 has and will do so much harm. It should be the number 1 priority for clubs and supporters to revert to u14, 16 and 18 which has served Kilkenny so well.
Under 19 club level is the worse move the County ever made. Hurlers between 18 and 20 have had no hurling at their own age now in close to 2 years by the time this years 1st round of club games are played. How can we expect to be competitive at that level when club competitions in normal times are played in the depths of winter. The only reason under 17 suits is for ease of fixtures for the exec. It's been a disaster for our players club and county IMO
Watching some of the underage games the past few weeks, you'd get the impression that we're very much down the pecking order, particularly at U20 level, and in particular in the strength & conditioning and tactics area of things.
You'd wonder what we can do to arrest the slide? I wonder would creating 5/6 divisional teams in the county at U19 level, and giving each of them full S&C programmes as well as regular no holds barred games against each other be of better benefit to what we're currently doing?
Minor Team for this evening.
tg4 sports YouTube
Is the Minor game on TV ? Or streamed anywhere ?
Sorry, that's not to say I'm ungrateful the level of coverage they give to underage GAA is sensational, along with the club coverage they provide.
Nemeton from An Rinné, west Waterford do most of the video work for TG4 and they did a lot of the club coverage for counties last year including Kilkenny.
Yeah the TG4 commentators are normally fairly effusive in their praise of Galway scores but that lad this evening got very excited I was a bit worried for his underwear at times. It's understandable to a degree as TG4 is based in Galway so one would expect a bit of local radio vibe to it when Galway are involved but this evening was by far the most exaggerated I've heard in a long time.
I'd agree on the commentary - it's always very biased towards Gslway teams on TG4. Might be something to do with the fact that the station is based there....Otherwise you couldnt fault their coverage.
I'd also agree on Gslway not being all that - I have a feeling that O'Shea and McDonagh could struggle down the road at senior level. Neither is the biggest and size seems to matter a lot in the modern game. I think they are having slightly similar issues to us with developing players beyond the minor grade - albeit they are failing better than us if you catch me.
It all brings the abysmal failure of our U20s into sharper focus.
Its been terrifc to watch so many matches but the commenatry on tonight's U20 Leinster final was awful. Commentator roaring his lungs out for Galway, in raptures at every score, even the routine ones. Cringe stuff.
Galway were too strong (literally) for Dubs. Game in melting pot up till last 10 mins but Galway backs cleaned Dublin forwards out of it from there. This has been a feature for me of all recent Galway undeerage wins, backs are savage and dont give you a sniff when it really matters in closing stages. That's an impressive habit.
Galway marquee forwards Mc Donagh and O' Se wer poor and shot a litany of wides. I'd be worried about Mc Donagh's temprement, got himself sent off late on and does seem fond of getting stuck in to every confronattion and complains a lot.
Dublin were ok but same old failing, no threat in the inside forward line, cant remember a single decent goal chance they fashioned all night,
I think Galway are beatable and if it's Limerick, that would be remrakable, because Galway (and Kilkenny) were 15 points better teams than them at Minor, proving that whatever Limerick are doing at 17-20 age group is serious.
Looking forward to Minor tomorrow.
TG4s coverage of games over the last number of weeks has been sensational.
It will be on TG4 Sports Youtube here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99A846py6Ww&ab_channel=SportTG4
On TG4 YouTube channel
Anyone know if the Minor game is showing/streaming anywhere tomorrow night?
I think it would be a huge call to put Richie Hogan in midfield at this stage of his career and with his back issues. He has the calmness and vision to do very well there but the madness and swarm of players in there I don't think will bring out the best in Richie. Personally if he's fit enough I'd have him at wing forward. He can go back and do some of that work but can also drift into space and be picked out and no better lad to lash it over the bar. Saying all that i still don't see him starting. I would say he'll be on the bench and will see 20 odd minutes if in that good of form.
Delaney is probably a more likely option, heard he has been going well in training too. Still as other pointed out Mikey Carey has done his chances no harm and to be honest a lot could depend on the opposition we get after next weekend. I'd be a bit worried about Carey on some of the Tipp forwards where I think he'd be able for the running of the Waterford or Cork lads. We also have Darren Mullen and Joey as options too but the fact they haven't been given a run up to now doesn't bode well for eithers chances of starting. I think Darren still has a bit of an issue with his original injury that side lined him during the league, he can play if needed but would be a risk or would have been the last day. Hopefully he's recovered and is pushing hard for a spot. I think we'll see James Maher in there again on the other wing. I don't think James is the best defender in the game but his man will rarely get away from him and get too man clear shots off. I'd like to see him being a bit more dominant before the ball arrives but that will only come with time. We have plenty of pace in our back 6 and will need all of it against the teams that we will face. I think we're still susceptible down the middle when run at but a lot of this comes from the midfield and half forward not helping out deep enough at times. I think we need to keep the goals conceded to 1 if we're to get through the semi.
Tipp will love to play us as they have full belief they can beat us as they want. Cork seem to be getting a bit tougher but I think when the heat comes on they'll struggle again but they're coming hard and will take a lot of beating in a few years. Waterford have huge energy and we would have plenty of reasons to want revenge for last year and I don't think they would do the same thing again to us as I hope or defence would be ready for it. If Dublin get through we can't face them anyway.
A League title for beating Laois, Antrim, Dublin and Wexford. Won't get that too often.
I'd love it to be true but a massive ask to throw him in midfield at this stage of his career. I'd prefer him as a closer off the bench myself but if he's up to it then let him loose
As we cannot now play Galway, we are joint winners with them of the 2021 National League.
This win now means we have pulled level with Tipp at top of Roll of Honour on 19 wins each.
It was 17-9 to Tipp when Cody took over
We have won more leagues under Cody than we had won in total up till 1999.
Astonishing
I think Murphy is better when things loosen up but I also think Bergin has nearly earned his chance at this stage. Maybe Billy will be better coming off the bench the next day when his pace could cause problems for tiring defences. Either way its apparent you have to have something in reserve for later on in games.
I'd also be surprised to see Delaney and Hogan start the next day. You have to remember with no club games that neither has played a proper game since the AI semi final 7 months ago. If Browne is out the next day then.id expect Carey to start as he was excellent when introduced against Dublin.
