Clifford's clutch 1-1 at the end was absolutely biblical. Such a shame there had to be a loser today. An epic match. Some outrageous scores all through. CBS speed and skill v Kieran's size and power. Very enjoyable game. Some serious hurlers on display and hopefully augurs well for the future of KK hurling. CBS fielded 6 x 16 year olds by my count. Some cauldron for them.
Some drama. Cbs coming back from behind showed great character. Pity they didn't win. Kilkenny will have great chance of winning a minor all Ireland this year with the players available.
Be interesting to see can kieran's win the all ireland or even could cbs have a say. Both munster teams will have a say also.
I see Killian Doyle started wing back for UL last night (and last week), with the quality they have in the squad it's good to see him starting and doing well with them, hopefully he'll get a chance to impress with us at some stage during the year too.
I’d say he will start on Sunday, just a hunch.
In fairness to Derek I think he is doing the right thing in not over working the lads playing college, for themselves it would be better to play Fitzgibbon and then hopefully get game time as the Fitzgibbon ends.
Definitely, Fitz is higher quality, more intense hurling than early league rounds, from which they'll get a lot more in the long run and should be able to give their full focus. Not to mention, on a personal level, they'll only get a couple of years at Fitz level at most, and should be able to give it their all!
I think the era of Fitz being a great grooming competition for senor IC is over. Only UL and MICE seem to take it very seriously now.
UCG and UCD last night had lots of county panelists pulled, as did the match btween CIT and UCC, while SETU and ATU failed to even fulfill their last match. i dont think Billy Drenann played in either of Maynooth's 2 matches.
Going down to play UL with 15 senior IC players (and 5 or 6 more on bench) with a bunch of lads who barely play senior club? Good luck trying to sell that as a viable competition. Play it before Xmas or stick a pin in it now.
Bit of a miracle cbs put in a performance like that considering the strength in depth of kieran's. Subs include county minors plus 5 or 6 lads who played adult hurling with their clubs this year. Coverdale for example was very good for danesfort this year
The 2 games involving both Galway colleges were dead rubbers with all 4 sides out after 2 defeats from 2 hence the walkover in 1 fixture and weakened sides in the other, UCG were a let down with a strong side on paper . The Cork and Limerick college derbies were deciding who is straight into the semi final and who has the extra game in the quarter final, unfortunately in my opinion a few intercounty managers stamped their authority and pulled high profile players in both games. I agree on UL but playing devils advocate couldn't you make the same argument about certain secondary schools in those competitions.
I see the Leinster B Final is Castlecomer v Enniscorthy CBS.
The need for more and more matches is at Inter county level is eating the game alive. Its a serious concern, its effecting Colleges, clubs and underage. Players don't seem to have the want for it as much as previous years and as a whole i feel the GAA needs a good look at its self before it goes to far.
You have agreed that in the last round of 5 fixtures, at least 5 teams fielded severely weakened teams and two more teams didn’t even bother lining out, but are arguing it's still a "serious" competition”.
It's not, for nearly 70 years it was more or less a weekend piss up involving just 3 teams. Ther are lads all over the country (and some in Kilkenny) with Fitzgibbon Cup medals who'd admit they were never more than average junior hurlers.
Would this year's NHL be deemed "serious" if severely weakened teams and walk overs littered the last round of fixtures?
It got a lift when the Regionals joined in the 80s and then scholarships too. Then it boomed about 15 years go with LIT and Davy upping the ante and for 10-12 years from about 2008 has proved a serious competition for IC grooming and development of the modern game coaching and tactics we now see, with Limerick at the epicentre.
However, I believe that peak has come and gone, and the modern IC set up simply cannot accommodate the Fitzgibbon, wrong time, heavy pitches, attritional hurling with loose reffing leading to serious injury risks etc.
It served its purpose, but I believe will now revert to a less intense competition largely shorn of serious inter county hurlers (bar maybe the finals weekend).
I am reminded of a Moss Keane story where he was selected to guest for the French Barbarians versus the French national team. Predictably of the time, the match was violent and a mass brawl involving most players erupted. Asked afterwards why he stood back from the violence, Moss remarked “I might be willing to die on the field for Ireland but not for the **** French Barbarians"
I think that's where we are right now with the Fitz, most serious senior IC players will adopt a similar attitude, not willing to die (well risk injury or the ire of their IC manager) for a college whose campus doors they might never darken in their lifetime once they graduate.
Interestingly I have heard a few Cork heads remark that Tommy Walsh may have adopted a similar "pragmatic" attitude 20 years ago, always putting in a shift with UCC but never quite matching the fire he’d bring with Kilkenny or Tullaroan. One Cork lad I know even went so far as saying in 2003/2004 after seeing a relatively subdued Tommy for UCC “I don’t know what all the hype is about this lad” LOL
Simply marvellous match between Kieran’s and CBS and a shame it had to be decided on penalties.
The match did a lot to dispel the doom that prevails here that Kilkenny just isn’t producing good young hurlers. There were good young hurlers all over the field.
Lacey, Henderson and O’ Donovan were outstanding for CBS, Lauhoff, Mullen and Minogue for Kieran’s. Barcoe was very quiet for Kieran’s but he may have been injured, another right good bit of stuff. I doubt Kieran’s have the firepower to win an AI without Mullen in forwards.
Think the relatively young age of both teams could prevent one of them winning outright, but wouldn’t worry too much about that, the quality of hurling was obvious to anyone on Wednesday.
However, the match does reopen an old wound. How in the name of Christ could a team with so many excellent hurlers lose a home venue All Ireland final to a 13-man Tipp?
And then reappoint the manager!
plenty of UL and MIC lads pulled across their last 2 games aswell. Shane O’Brien, Patrick Crotty, Shane Meehan, Colin Coughlan, Patrick O’Donovan, Aidan O’Connor and Adam English all pulled from either 1 or 2 games so far.
Adam Hogan absent for MIC aswell, but that’s more to do with Aron Shanagher breaking his nose with a box in Clare training.
jaysus don’t mention the war, I mention earlier but I think I got away with it.
ah jaysus come on we’re not supposed to talk about things like that.
Gearoid Dunne gets the start, hopefully Zach can grab his opportunity and step up
is Tom Phelan gone off the panel
😳😳
Thats a nice mix of old and new..the main aim of the league for me is finding a few new faces..obviously it would be nice to win but if 3 or 4 lads could really play themselves into contention it would be great..
We should be beating galway on current for.but at this stage of the league teams can follow a septic performance with a decent 1 so I dont think its a foregone conclusion..
Far from a foregone conclusion. Much stronger Galway team named this weekend. With Donoghue at the helm Galway will improve no end and Leinster is not the penalty kick some people think. Good to see KK continue to experiment and this game provides a genuine test for the newcomers.
Agreed, it looks a much stronger Galway team than last week, especially in backs.
Interestingly, they have leaving cert Evan Niland in subs tomorrow. He sat out Connacht Schools final yesterday when Pres Athenry still won by 16 pts. Pres Athenry are stacked with players from that excellent Galway minor team of two years ago and look to me to be the team to beat in the schools.
CBS should beat Claregalway in quarters and would face Harty winners in semi.
All for trying players, but I doubt if 4 or 5 of the selected KK team are good enough for championship hurling.
Are Adrian Mullen and John Donnelly rested or injured?
Evan is the guy that's been on the galway squad last 4 or 5 years. Aaron is with pres athenry. He was a minor 2 years ago I think.
Apologies, yes, I meant Aaron.
He sat out Connacht schools final yesterday because he is on the Galway squad, but I see he isn't on 26 in programme for tomorrow.
No county in my lifetime has produced more teen prodigies than Galway, but their conversion rate has been abysmal.
the five lads on the left wing are all basically newcomers and Tallis in the goal and Luke Hogan. Is there one too many? Then I suppose it’s a home game, but you may forget about it if you think we’re going to get anything soft off of Galway and they looking for the points.
Niland sat out because he is out injured for months with a hamstring injury
A great schools match the other day but how many times have we seen good kierans teams not transitioning to u20 players. Ed lahoff was a village senior last year and on the u19 panel. There's no doubt there's a few good hurlers on both teams but must be cautious because the transition from good school players to u20 has being shocking.
I'd be shocked if kk hammer galway tomorrow like some think. Liam chill has his team peaking in the winter and theyve being training like dogs since October. Way ahead of most teams but as with all liam cahill teams they usually Peter out before the championship actually starts. It's a much better galway team tomorrow. The right decision was made put eoin cody on the frees and let him gain experience. The lads that are starting turned that game last week and deserve a go. It's just a pity lyng didn't go these kinda players earlier. Hopefully Harry shine and denis Walsh get a run tomorrow. Great to see zach starting. Not a peep about mackessy but it didn't look good Hopefully it isn't the dreaded cruciate.
Any word on Mackessy's injury?
