Kilkenny GAA Thread

Lot of blind faith on your part there, nothing to back that up, but equally nothing wrong with being parochial or myopic in these scenarios. We're all guilty of it to one extent or another. 

To put it bluntly, Tipps confidence is basically based off finishing 3rd in what we now know to be a very poor standard Munster Championship, off the back of 2 terrible Munster campaigns, and relying on the same players. There's a feel good factor in Tipp because this team are giving everything for the jersey this year, backed up by good underage success over the last 12 months, and Tipp have also had decent performances this year against 2 teams in decline, Clare and Limerick. It's a sea change in supporters attitudes from even January though, where there was a general air of pessimism in their panel and players, and a widespread feeling that Cahill was achieving nothing and should be replaced. Fast forward less than 6 months and ye are going to comfortably get to a final 😂.

But as you say, semi finals are a law unto themselves and are hard won. Kilkenny have far more reasons to have that confidence you have, but understandably given recent setbacks at all levels in the same period, are somewhat apprehensive.

Kilkenny's last 3 defeats in knockout championship games have been to the All Ireland Champions. 2 by very narrow margins, and the other due to what was probably Limericks greatest ever half of hurling. I'd believe we're a better side now with better options and energy off the bench, and like Liam Cahill, Derek Lyng is a better manager than he was 2 years ago. If Kilkenny perform we'll win as we have the better players, and far more substance to our championship form overall, but it'll undoubtedly require a big performance against a dogged and game Tipp team.

Eoghan Connolly has been excellent for Tipp all year, he obviously would not make full back on the KK team, Robert Doyle, Bryan O'Meara would make it also, Ronan Maher is way ahead of Richie Reid, much more physical and dominant in the air, Sam O'Farrell would probably make the Kilkenny team somewhere too

'Rattled' 😂

You're on the wrong forum sunshine. There's actually reasoned and logical debate here. Back to PremierView with you, that tone is more suited to that sewer. 

Id imagine Billy Ryan could step into 11. His pace down the middle could cause Tipp problems

Tipps issue is at midfield. That's where the overlaps came against Galway that created the goal chances. McGarry was lost there and Connors tries hard but lacks mobility. That's the area Kilkenny should target. If they go long too often Tipp will be happy enough with Ronan Maher, Breen, OMara and Connolly comfortable under the dropping ball.

TJ won't retire until Hogie retires first! 😉

Can see McGrath getting involved very quickly as a selector or something, seems like his role on the squad now has as much to do with his presence in the dressing room and sideline as what he contributes when he's on the field.

Oh well, would have been nice to get a good match but sure you can't have everything.

Terrible referee… very whistle happy while being very inconsistent at the same time.

Kilkenny to win by at least ten points against tipp. We are a way stronger team, this tipp team is very average.

My optimism has been dampened by our defeats at minor and u20 despite the optimism of many on here. Tipp also have had the indian sign over us since 2016.

Not saying we can't win but we will need a lot more players to find the form that they are capable of - Donnelly, Mullen, Cody, Blanch in particular. Also proper ball being played to TJ and the other forwards

This match is a bit like a deaf dog - hard to call.

On the one hand, we have endured a few sobering losses from Tipp the last few years between sizable defeats in AI finals and even underage finals at home. These things can matter in providing a psychological edge to Tipp as many of their players hold no fear for a KK jersey. Furthermore, a confident Tipp team can play with a swagger and verve like few other teams can.

On the other hand, this KK team is quite settled and experienced at this level. Plenty of players in the right age profile (mid to late 20s) and hurling well for most of the game with an alarming switch off period in nearly every match. Using the scores against Galway x 2 and Dublin, we are scoring 4-22 and conceding 1-21. Remove the Cork and Laois matches, Tipp are scoring 2-25 and are conceding 2-21. If both teams keep up these scoring rates, KK should be favoured by a goal but goal scoring can be difficult to rely on, particularly when it is likely that Tipp will set out with Ronan Maher sitting deep and sweeping in front of the full back line. Even moreso, after Galway created so many goal chances that they spurned against Tipp.

Therefore we will probably have to rely on our long distance shooting to make up for any goal deficit. This is where we will need our midfield and two wing backs to be on point. Cian Kenny and Jordan Molloy are more than capable of chipping in with three points each. Deegan and Mikey Carey are capable long distance shooters but wouldn’t be as metronomic as Diarmaid Byrnes has been up until this year. Ideally we should try to create openings for Adrian Mullen to get on the end of these chances as he’s very accurate from long distance (although I expect Sam O’Farrell will be used as a utility wing back to reduce Mullen’s influence on the game).

The biggest worry I have coming into the game is the fitness of Mossie. He’s a brilliant goal scorer and one we can’t do without given his current form. Very few lads have his skill, explosiveness and willingness to take the punishment to score goals. If he’s not 100 percent, I’d give the edge to Tipp as Eoin Cody is unlikely to be match fit and we are not blessed with a FF who can cause the same problems. The weaknesses I see on the Tipp side is that their midfield is so-so, Mikey Breen is too much of a straight line athlete for cornerback (he finds it hard to change direction), Sam O’Farrell is a brilliant young player but he’s being played out of position, Ronan Maher is a class hurler but a centre back who lacks pace makes a team much more vulnerable to goals as they can’t cover the ground to provide assistance to the other backs (the same can be said about Richie Reid as well). Tipp probably edge it in the strength of bench stakes as Noel McGrath is capable of splitting a team open with his stick passes. I’d be inclined to bring on a sub at the same time he’s coming on like Shane Murphy with the express intention of man marking Noel.

Notwithstanding the above, there’s plenty of motivation on our side as we are being overlooked given it’s pretty much a toss up per the bookies even though we have been knocking on the door of AIs whilst Tipp have been in the wilderness for the last 6 years. Moreover, Tipp did give us a lesson in the league match earlier in the year, lest anyone forget Craig Morgan’s dunt into the back of Eoin Murphy after his goal - no one from KK returned him the favour. I expect that won’t happen Sunday week.

In the end, I think we will win it with the extra motivation coming to the fore and given the outcome of these games is rarely as per the pre match narrative (e.g. Limerick repeating round robin performance in Munster final, pundits tipping Galway in Leinster final, close game between Tipp and Galway, etc), I think we have our best performance of the year and end up winning by 5-6 points.