Kilkenny GAA Thread

Darragh has shown up well at centre back for the Shamrocks, in particular marking John Donnelly and on Sunday. But club and county are two different ball games. The last time he was in with the county and hurled, he was sometimes outfielded for more ball than he should given his size. Even on Sunday towards the end of the match, Jordan Molloy caught a ball behind him.

Given Darragh is so-so in the air, I’ve often wondered whether he would be better in midfield and be that physical presence we are looking for since he’s great to carry ball, take a score and crash into rucks. Blanchfield, Carey and Molloy as a half back line with Cian Kenny and Darragh Corcoran might be a better balance to the team.

This could be all for naught as I don’t think Lyng took too kindly to being questioned by Darragh for dropping him after the Carlow match in 2024.

Shamrocks improved for Darragh going 6, he has the powers that Richie Reid does not and should suit Kilkenny at 6. He is well ahead of any other options imo. The options are not great, going off yesterday can't be putting Deegan there, very poor again, and bullied in another county final

Jordan Molloy's running and energy was fantastic. His only fault sometimes is his end product, whether thats a pass or a shot (one shot during the second half was eerily reminiscent of the shot dropped into the keepers hand in the AI semi final). OLG forwards looked a bit lost but it was the intensity of the Ballyhale forwards that meant that the OLG backs were hitting balls down on top of their forwards with snow on them. If ever you wanted to show a young lad that the first line of defence is the full forward line, you'd show them some of Ballyhale's pressuring.

It's hard to know where OLG go from here, less than two years ago they were a whisker away from an all Ireland club championship but right now they seem like a team that can't handle the pressure.

Regarding the referee, I thought he did a decent job. The game flowed fairly well for the most part in tricky conditions and while the game boiled over at times he kept them mostly in check. One "foul" on Paddy Deegan aside I thought they did ok. I think another poster mentioned Peter Burke above, Burke, Everard and Beehan are three refs that control games well and overall I think the standard has gone up in the last few years.

Also well done to Barrow Rangers, I remember them losing the county final to John Lockes maybe 15 years ago and it's been a long road back for them since then. As their playing number increase, if they can stay up a few years we could see them challenging for intermediate.

Listening to the radio after the Ballyhale game with Ronnie and Taggy it sounds like the following lads were called but could be wrong:

Liam Moore, Timmy Clifford and Patrick Lacey (Dicksboro)

Ian Byrne, Cathal Beirne and Tomas Mullally (Glenmore)

David Barcoe and Rory Glynn (Clara)

Brian Cody (Shamrocks)

Conor Mcmahon (Comer)

Niall Brennan (Lisdowney)

I would like to see Osin knox, Paul Cody, Cillian Hacket, Padraig Dempsey, Paddy Langton, Denis Walsh and Ivan Bolger get a trial.

I'd be fearful for the future if I was an OLG supporter in the next few years. I thought they had been poor enough all year they were starting matches well and fading out spectacularly but managing to get over the line through experience and that bit of cuteness winning instils. In the Championship they got the easier side of the draw in my opinion and the absolutely fell into the final struggling to the get past Clara and Vegas where Ballyhale dismissed Thomastown and muscled there way past the Boro. I was sure OLG would raise their game for the final and sight of Ballyhale would spur them on to put in a great performance. As has been the case for the last few months I actually think it was their big names that let them down. Huw Lawlors head I'd say was already on a beach in Bondi the 3 goals the conceded against Clara were all things he would normally deal with in his sleep. Deegan and Butler look like they're heads are elsewhere too. Molloy was the only bright spot for them. The OLG's bench was so quite and unanimated at any point in the final it was strange to see. This O'Loughlins team has always struggled for top end forward talent but their back were the rock that their success was built on and that is starting to crumble now. Lawlor will be a huge loss for O'Loughlins next year Paddy Deegan will be another year older and Butler is getting further and further from his last consistent stretch of games. I don't see much coming through at underage for O'Loughlins and while I don't think they'll be in relegation trouble or anything I would see them as outside the top 4 teams in the next few years and possibly mid table. If Huw only goes for a year and they don't loose anyone else they might come back and challenge again but they will need to develop some forward talent.

I reality Shamrocks probably should have been 5-6 points up at half time in that game only for some very errant shooting. It wasn't that close a game at all once the goal went in it was all over bar the shouting and handbag stuff. Conor Kelly can have no arguments about his red a stupid strike with the hurl to the guts. Owen Wall could have seen the line twice in the same break in play hitting Dara Mason from behind in the space of 2-3 minutes while all the fighting was going on under the Ollie Walsh stand. Richie Reid should have seen a red for striking Owen Wall in face with the hurl earlier although Wall started all that and was trying to head butt Reid when he pushed the hurl up into his face. Paddy Mullen was also equally lucky not to see the line again for a punch.

It was a dreadful game but fair dues to Ballyhale they know how to win and a record breaking 21 titles since 1972 is some testament to them. 12 for TJ ain't too shabby either.

Looking at the Kilkenny back 7 from the semi this year, I would be saying we could be seeing a huge turn over.

Murphy should be gone imo and Tallis, Mason or Galwey to get the job.

Butler has been poor for both Kilkenny and OLG he should have a huge fight on his hands to hold onto that jersey.

Huw Lawlor will be boarding a plane soon unfortunately and will be an enormous loss.

S Murphy is not a corner back and should be fighting for a jersey on the half back line T Walsh our other corner back is also gone with his cruciate injury for Tullaroan so we need another corner back here too.

Mike Carey there is definitely a place for him on the half back line but I'm not sure 5 is it.

R Reid we don't have a luxury of playing him in the back 6 we don't have enough around him to allow him not to mark his man could possibly be used as a deep lying midfielder but would probably stay too deep.

P Deegan he can't be on our half back line again unfortunately. If they want to use his energy up front thats another story.

This is a massive rebuilding job and one Derek should have been tackling over the last few years. It's a huge opportunity for players on the fringe of the squad and new players in to stake a place. The two Cororans should be in there and see how they go, D Blanchfield needs to be given a position and left there. P Moylan will try and stake a spot on the FB line no doubt. Young Bolger, J Neary and Vereker are in there from what I've heard. N Rowe, Langton, E Lyng and possibly more will be given chances

I also heard Zach Bay Hammond is going back to play soccer and Billy Ryan is going travelling too.

Is Derek at fault for not bringing through more players the last few years or are they simply not there? He seems to be too loyal to a few, Tipperary went through a couple of years of rebuilding and won the AI this year, we’d be in a much better position now if Derek started rebuilding 2 years ago

From what I've heard Tommy Walsh is expected back Feb or March and I'm assuming H Shine would be the same if not a little earlier as he did his before the AI semi final and Tommy did his during the club league campaign.

For someone who ships alot of criticism Village87, I actually agree with all of your sentiments re our defence. Hard to argue against it.

Was it Jackie that head butted c Fennelly and got the line

bang on the money,they should have started rebuilding three years ago.

Think a bit of a rebuild was more obvious after the 23 All Ireland being honest, we were murdered in that 2nd half.

Anyway no sign of a Podcast from Mickey Walsh and Scally just yet for this week, hopefully a last one for end of championship comes out.