Kilkenny GAA Thread

Well Marooned did defend him but after the no win in the Leinster championship in 2 years it is pretty hard to defend. I have come across under age managers losing an All Ireland final after 1 year and getting the bullet.

Looking at the minor fixtures. I see the first round is fixed for Easter Sunday. Why couldn’t they have fixed it for the Saturday and had it as a double header with the Senior opener since they are both in Nowlan Park it makes much more sense to me. Is the GAA against minor/senior double headers all the time now?

It’s not a conspiracy. Cork and Tipp have a home and away arrangement. Why they out the 1b final there too I don’t know, as the game sold out within 24 hours. I’d be surprised if there are many non Cork fans there at all.

I'm probably misrepresenting Nearys role by calling him a sweeper. From what I can tell he's not there for defensive reasons. He's there to get on the ball and play make from deep.

It’s the only stadium I see people complaining about. What 45,000 capacity stadium can you drive in the door to? Thurles is by far and away more difficult unless you arrive by train. And even then the walk is not too different to the walk from Kent station to PUC. If you know where you’re going, it’s ok, but I read all kinds of stuff about the location every year and it’s always from people who rarely go there. The best one last year was the lack of places to eat on the way……you basically have to walk past the largest food market in the country to get there from the city.

Couldn't agree more. We seem to live in a world where win and you are a genius, lose and your a muppet. We were unlucky not to win last years' under 20. We hockeyed all the Munster teams on the challenge match circuit last year, the closest anyone came to us was Cork who we beat by 6 points in Blackrock the Saturday afternoon of the senior league match in PUC. I met one of the fathers (related to my sister through marriage) of one of the Cork players at the senior match in PUC that evening and he reckoned we were certainties to win it out. Not meaning to blow my own trumpet but i flagged up Offaly as a major danger.

Don't understand the animosity towards PUC and love going down there. It's a fantastic stadium with a pitch as good as Croker. I always park in town and walk out, takes about 20 minutes.

As i said i was talking to one of the backroom team a few days before they were due to travel and he was due to be part of the group. I'll find out from my contact when i see him.

I go to as many matches as you Club and County just don't feel the need to tell the world about it. I have utmost faith in the three managers and management teams who give their time selflessly. Is that clear enough for you. It was back and forth between yourself and another poster last year as to who could belittle the minor manager or the under 20 manager the most. Pathetic from so called supporters.

I had a conversation with the minor team doctor( someone who hurled to a pretty high level himself) over the winter and he said he was blown away by the level of detail that the minor management team went into. He said no team he was involved in was ever even close to being that well prepared. But as he put it " you can take a bull to water but you can't make him drink it" and he felt ultimately the pressure got to the players in the final and they paid the price. Which is hardly a surprise when you consider 8 of the starting team were under 16s, 3 of which were only 15 at the time.

Heard he's transferring to Southend utd in the k and district league!! They need a striker 🤣🤣

Eoin Cody is most definitely not in Portugal

Deleted because I don't know why I'm getting involved....

Offaly lads coming through to a far weaker team and panel than Kilkenny have, hard to compare.

Kilkenny threw the match away against Offaly in Tullamore even though they didn't play well. Looked the much better team. Missed a penalty and missed a short range free as well if I remember correctly. Anyone in Tullamore that night would have given you any price you wanted on Offaly being good enough to win the All Ireland, but fair play to them they did.

Looking at Tipp the other night and even the Cork/Clare game this evening, you'd have to have Offaly as favourites if they hold their form. Tipp were very poor, maybe they'll bounce back but you'd pick out nobody bar McCarthy. Their forwards look very average.
Clare the same tonight, lot of hype about them but it was a very poor game. 14 for Clare looks like a serious player alright, and I couldn't believe how small Gunning looked, he'll struggle to survive as a senior defender. He was a savage minor.

well Village . I thought last yearsU20’s management had no say with Derek Lyng as regards picking U20’s for the seniors , it’s the same this year ,what do you do?. I agree with you entirely about the halfback line which was very slow and Eoghan was just back from injury. I also thought he should have bringing in Tom Mc Phillips but he is his nephew and that could have been awkward.