Kilkenny GAA Thread

Best of luck to Bucks. Relentless commitment and had a moment last year that at sportsman or woman would kill for

Fair play to Cillian, great servant to the black and amber at all grades and could play anywhere. Best of luck to him on his retirement.

Happy retirement, can walk away with his head held high. Quality player and athlete before he got his injury set backs . Great role model to the younger players last 6/7 years

The vast majority of clubs in the north of the county have been struggling and not producing many county standard players. Galmoy, Johnstown, Urlingford, Freshford, Lisdowney, Ballyragget, Conahy, Cloneen, Castlecomer and Muckalee in that area. Castlecomer the only senior club, Lisdowney have had recent success. The rest are surviving in intermediate or junior clubs.

First became aware of Cillian Buckley at primary schools hurling. One of the very best at that age. He continued to show his class right up to this year. The resilience and dedication to come back time and again from injury that would finish many another. He was a class act in full flow and hopefully we can see plenty more of him with the Boro.

You'd really have to admire clubs like Tullaroan and Ballyhale Shamrocks for supplying so many county hurlers over the years from a small playing base and to consistently have someone on starting teams and panel. Obviously, the city clubs have too but with huge numbers, you'd expect that. The most glaring aspect I think is that for all of Dicksboro's success and dominance at underage, they have never supplied one consistent IC forward over the years. Other notable clubs for production lines imo have been Danesfort, Carrickshock, Graigue Ballycallan, Dunnamaggin and Gowran for always having a hurler on the county team and in some cases producing real classy players. When you go down through clubs failing as per some posts recently, it should be sending alarm bells ringing in some quarters.

disappointed with the Boro tonight had about 5 goal chances which Paul Buggy pulled off unbelievable saves. Mossy was also a hero. On the Boro side I thought Harry and Timmy were alright but made a few silly mistakes. The worst news of all was I heard all three intercounty managers are put back in place.FFS will we ever learn at least the jobs should be thrown open to competition.

Good game for the neutral this evening between Boro and Tullaroan. Tullaroan just deserved the win but Boro will be kicking themselves with the amount of goal chances missed.

Mossy was brilliant. John Walton some man to score points. Most of Tullaroans big players played well.

Shine was best for the Boro .Personally thought Clifford was way below his best. Sloppy on ball and with deliveries into forwards. Mossy cleaned that battle. Missing players for Boro more of an issue maybe than expected. Where was Buckley?

UCC picked Joe Fitzpatrick at wing back this year ahead ofEoin Downey. Downey will be 2024 All Star full back whileJoe Fitz wasn't deemed good enough for our u20 panel.

In general, I wouldn’t worry too much about Fitzgibbon, the 4main teams that still take it seriously are based in Limerick, Cork and Galway,schools that have always had low number of Kilkenny students.

The Fitzgibbon’s impact as a senior breeding ground is probably over, managers are sick it and it’s made for early season seriousinjuries, especially as it is barely refed and a lot of heavy stuff is let go.I feel it has been in decline for a few years.

Watched Tullaroan v Dicksboroon on Clubber, very good game. Mossy tremendous, P Walsh excellent, Gearoid Dunne v good but shooting let him down. Cillian Walsh got two goals and might be one to watch, I was very impressed when he came on in colleges final in Croke Park,think he's only 18.

Boro lack leaders and overplay it, Shine as usual mixing good with bad. Lots of good players but not enough really good ones, same old same old. They will be at the business end but doubt they will win out.

Fitzgibbon is a top class competition and traditionally is the starting point for many to kick on and become IC players. The coaching is usually excellent and there's a great bond among players playing the competition. Look at the winners the last few years, a big number of players have gone on to win All-Irelands with Clare and Limerick. The decline in the number of Kilkenny players making teams has been an issue for quite some time. If players are good enough, they'll make the Fitzgibbon team in any college or university regardless of where they are from, remember they want to win too!

Was at Tullaroan match last night. Great win for them, their goalie Paul Buggy MoM and you won't see a better display over the weekend. Huge heart and workrate won it for them, Mossy, John Walton and the Walshs very good. Dicksboro missed 4/5 guilt edged goal chances which would have been the spark they needed to kick on. Harry Shine looked very good and on another day could have scored 2-4 from play. Kevin Moore scored 4 points too. Michael Ryan from Waterford coaching Tullaroan too, a top class coach by all accounts.

A few matches including Glenmore v Bridge postponed until Tue evening. Little over 3 day turnaround until second matches for these teams

As far as I counted it the Boro had 8 goal chances they missed or were saved. Paul Buggy shouldn't have to buy a drink this weekend in Tullaroan he was great for them after a hard start to the game. Mossy was excellent throughout and Pádraig stood up when really needed. I'm sure they'll be a small bit concerned how they were cut open so many times at the back but they showed Greta heart and fight throughout and brought great physicality that the Boro could handle but didn't replicate.

There are a good few still away or injured for the Boro and many of those playing last night were either just back from abroad or injury and it showed in what I would usually expect from them. They are a young team and everyday out will bring them on but adding in Buckley and Evan Cody to the back 6 will hopefully tighten that up. The Boro for years have gone unbeaten in the League and winning League titles, I'd prefer to see the build towards Championship rather than hitting the road running. Good displays from Rowe, K Moore, M Kelliher and Shine. The next day will be tough again with more lads missing but as long as they keep improving I'd be happy. At least they were making goal chances. The day they get them all will be a hard day for another team. The will have to up their intensity and aggression against the top teams and I felt they played too much short passing for the slippery and slick conditions last night, Tullaroan we're ruthless and punished them everytime the Boro weren't clinical.

If Tullaroan can keep up the type of performance going forward they will do well in the League this year and should push far into the championship. They will have to tighten up at the back a bit or Paul Buggy will have to be the hero everyday.

OLG comfortably ahead at half time 9 up against Clara who had the wind in the first half. Missing Paddy Deegan too, F Mackessy hasn't lit it up so far but is probably creating space for the other forwards with the need to watch him. Luke Hogan scored and created their goals.

Do they ever get old?

Im not questioning the standard of players, playing Fitzgibbon, I'm questioning its value as a competition in 2024?

What does it add?

The UL 2018 team was a total pisstake, pretty much an entire team made up of established top class inter county players and All ireland medalists, some of them (Tony Kelly, John Mc Grath, Jason Forde) already in their mid 20s, the rest mostly 22/23.

UL didnt make these players, they were already made.