Kilkenny GAA Thread

It looks like it's on Piltowns back field? Strange venue for an inter county game but maybe due to no availability elsewhere. I don't think that pitch is even railed off?

Great, Piltown is small and tight and will be a soft surface, no hiding place out there and it will be interesting to see what players put there hand up in these kinds of matches where it is pure intensity and hard work, hopefully someone like Billy Drennan can put there hand up in this kind of match and show he can play at the highest level.

thank god for that. Sure we’ll have a look at them anyway.

I think you hit the nail on the head there about not losing faith and giving lads time to settle in. That's a problem we have had over the last few years, lads been given the chance the first half not going there way and they are taken off and not seen again. The younger lads and lads been tried in important areas (centre back) need to be told that they are going to be given loads of game time and if one game doesn't go there way they have the next game to bounce back and put things right. While winning a league would be great it shouldn't be the only way success is judged. Last year we got to a league final but found very little other that Shane Murphy for the championship and still went into championship with question marks over who would start in key areas. If we went through the league this year and found 5/6 players to boost our championship team/squad and found a reliable centre back it would be a big boost to us. As fans we will have to be patient and players the chance to find there feet.

I think Blanchfield is the man for centre back also. Often, he does the simple thing and lays off a handpass to a better placed colleague. I would like to see him drive forward more frequently as he is very capable

That shouldn't be an issue though. Any midfielder worth their salt will know to sit in when the centre back goes forward. Plus Carey has played 6 long enough to know to tuck in for that situation. As long as it's occasional rather than every time he'll be grand. He's the best ball striker of all our defenders so placing him at 6 will have him on the ball more and will let him spray the ball to both sides of the field.

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The commentator on clubber hasn't a clue who any of the Kilkenny lads are.

good crowd in Piltown, pitch wet but not much better around

Pace is so so important in modern Hurling and we aren’t blessed with it.. some of our new players are very one paced worryingly, hopefully something that can be worked on/ developed

Blanch is probably the best option at 6.. the only downside is he is totally one sided which isn’t ideal at centre back

stand out performers for me were,

Shane Murphy

Mossy

Killian Doyle

Vereker

Moylan.

That's something Ive noted about blanch. Don't think I've ever seen him strike off his left, which he can overcome at number 5 but might cause more problems in the middle. Interesting to see how it goes going forward.

Moylan and Eoghan Lyng very impressive today. As well as blanchfieid and mossy

I hope a few bob was raised for a very worth while cause that was the main thing. One thing ya definitely won't get today is swashbuckling hurling or telepathic understanding between players. It's about doing the hard work. A experimental Waterford side benefited from a game last weekend and were quick out of the traps and at times had some good hurling but the end product let especially waterford down who should of being 6 or 7 up at half time. Kk also had 6 players starting who never wore the kk senior Jersey and 4 more came on and also tasted their first piece of inter County action. Plenty of mistakes on both sides but also plenty of lads trying to impress both managers. Podge moylan will disappointed letting the waterford player past way too easy for the goal and stood off Shane Bennett and let him get his shot away which resulted in tallis making a great save. He improved as the game went on and I think Derek will have to show faith In players like podge and no better pĺĥlace than ennis in two weeks time.Theuop ball wasn't sticking up top in the first half and waterford defenders were on top and chipped in with a few scores but the introduction and Jordan molloy had a good impact. Both teams emptied the benches, the result wasn't important its about getting ⁹gametime into players. It's a pity the season isn't a little longer because another challenge next week and straight into a competitive league. Some players only have small windows to try impress

Yea I seen that alright but still it's better than nothing. A nice crowd considering the week that was in it.

Junior final is an average affair. Freshford play so defensively. Everything goes back to Brennan and slows everything thing down, allows opposition team to set up defensively. They need to play with more forwards and a bit more off the cuff they would be well ahead

Freshford should have there 6 forwards up the pitch they do not . Only seem to have 2 inside. Very poor match