Kilkenny GAA Thread Part 2 **MOD NOTE POST 1***

From where I was sitting it looked like fennelly was flying it I was surprised to hear people saying he picked up an injury it looked like coady gave him a 25 minute run out.lester was very good today he covered every inch but he does some silly things at time.

IMO the final score does not do justice to the gulf between these two sides. Offaly were competitive tbf to them but Kilkenny were very professional in their approach, treating this game like any other, and while they did ease up a little in the second half they were still operating at a level or two above Offaly. This was typified by who else but Wally who, late in the second half, covered back to dispossess an Offaly forward (no. 9 I think) who had gotten a run on Jackie. Wally got the tackle(s) in and turned over possession to allow a clearance. Had Kilkenny played their full strength, the final margin would have broken all records.
Given the margin, it's hard to properly assess players performance and how they would have stacked up against stiffer opposition. For what it's worth, my MOTM was a toss up between Lester and Colin. The latter was given plenty of wide open space and made hay with both his own goals and some assists. Lester was full of endeavour in the middle and also linked up well both in defence and attack. While he missed a couple of handy scores, I was impressed with John Power. He really looked up for the fight today.

On the injuries front Lennon went off after ca 5 minutes. He didn't look injured and hadn't gotten a belt so it can't have been too serious.
Mick Fennelly went off after 25 minutes and again didn't look injured coming off but I happened to see him stretching his left hamstring just before he left so he may have felt something. While he was on he got some nice scores and even managed to floor one of the Offaly lads with a shoulder.
Murphy got injured in a collision with an Offaly forward in the first half and looked to be holding his left shoulder later on the sideline.
Diarmuid Cody went off after a second heavy challenge and didn't appear too happy with his old man when called ashore. Both times he had been down for a while.
Colin pulled up running down the sideline with about 5 minutes to go. It looked like a hamstring pull but he didn't appear too hurt on his way to the dressing room.

blackcard wrote: »

Richie Hogan was named on the programme to start so I presume he picked up an injury between when the team was given to the programme publishers and when the team was officially named.p

Mmm. I don't think he was named on the team when it was announced the other night. I don't think he was on the bench either.

Interesting match up.clare should have players back and hopefully our injuries will have cleared up.looked like they played sweeper system against tipped today.also we will see whether they man mark to and Richie. As for today not much learned.john power started well kelly good on frees.blanchfield didn't see much balls but nice introduction.wally was wasteful. Lester mom for me followed by Colin and Joyce. Also felt Buckley looks like he is beginning to motor.think mick fennelly sub was pre planned.pity about Lenton injury.lookung forward to Thurles.

dastardly00 wrote: »

SUNDAY 17 APRIL
Allianz HL Division 1 semi-finals
1400 Waterford v Limerick, Semple Stadium
1600 Kilkenny v Clare, Semple Stadium

Thanks for that.

Thought our game would be the first game as Waterford are current league champions.

Let's see if our functional team are good enough😺.really hate teams with sweepers.hope ourselves and limerick win for the good of the game.if teams become successful using sweeper tactics others start to try and copy.look at cork last year.murphy got bullied into playing a sweeper.dour games and little goals are the result.

Just heard that limerick played a sweeper v dublin.that makes us the only 1 of the 3 semi finalist who don't play one.awful the way hurling is going.

Michael Kavanagh wrote: »

My opinion jj Farrell is not good enough for this level he looks very slow awkward.[/quot

That's 2 starts he's had in league. 1pt, if he got it, is a poor enough return.

Is he a useful target man at FF?

dastardly00 wrote: »

In fairness we often play spatially quite deep, with some of our forwards dropping into the midfield area, and our midfielders dropping into the half-back line. So I don't think we can complain too much about teams who play with a sweeper system.

I think part of the problem is we can play 15 on 15. When we play against teams with a sweeper, Paul Murphy (usually) the spare man and he just sweeps up at the back. 3 on 2 in the backs.

KK don't go out to play with a sweeper but play the team set up in front of them, whether that is 15 on 15 or with a sweeper.

Re: the point above and the compressing of the defence. I think we conceded too many goal chances against Tipp in the drawn replay a few years ago and the management decided for the replay to 'shut up shop' i.e. compress the space from the half back line back as much as possible and try to eliminate the Tipp's goal scoring opportunities. I think we've continued with this system - probably not as a game plan but in the players' minds to close down the space.

Maybe in all respects, all teams do this unintentionally now!

Overall not much can be gleaned from Sundays match here's how I would rate those who played

E Murphy-7- only because he had so little to do when called upon was brave and quick to spot the danger
P Murphy-7- was playing well before he went off injured, he's injury looked the worst to me. Some sort of shoulder issue but if he came back out and sat on the bench it couldn't be a break or anything, as he would have went straight to Lukes. - replaced by J Tyrrell
J Tyrrell-8- given that it's only the 3rd time he's played any competitive hurling since last July I think he played quite well. As someone said he looked nervous or fidgity when he came on, but I think he settled in and played as I would expect a player of his calibre to, particularly in the second half.
R Lennon-5- not on the field for any length I think he touched the ball once maybe twice but cleared the danger. - replaced by J Houlden
J Houlden-7- Did well when he came on nothing specactular but he got the job done efficiently
Shane Prendergast-7- was quite enough but did well enough, he switched to the right when Jackie came on and they both look more comfortable on the left and suffer a bit in the right corner.
C O'Shea-7- was pleasantly surprised with O'Shea. He didn't do anything wrong, nothing outstanding but got stuck in and is a big lad who is mobile. He looked better than I remembered him being. He won't displace P Walsh or anything but I'd be comfortable with him filling in if required.
K Joyce-8- did well and got stuck in and cleared plenty of ball.
C Buckley-8- was finally back to his normal high level and played very well.
M Fennelly-7- was only on for 20 mins or so but was in great form and could have wiped them altogether if he was on for the whole game. - replaced by D Cody
D Cody-6- didn't do a massive amount when he came on. He was only getting into it in the second half, then he got the two dunts and was hauled ashore for - M Malone
M Malone-5- went in at left corner forward and K Kelly moved out to midfield. Malone did only ok, he struggled to win his own ball for such a big lad and nothing really came off for him.
L Ryan-9- A very industrious performance from Lester he hit a couple of wides which are frustrating, when he often has better options and is normally shooting from distance but overall I thought he played very well.
W Walsh-6- I'd give him a 8 for his first half even with the four wides because he was everywhere causing trouble winning an amount of ball and tracking back. It was like he forgot to come out in the second half I didn't see him in the second half until he was taken off. replaced by - C Martin
C Martin-5- as anonymous as Wally was ion the second half.
C Fennelly-8- was working very hard and took his scores well. He could have got more but for passing instead of shooting himself. He completely bossed the CB who was a big guy and his pace burned almost all the defence. Pulled up with a hamstring strain while he was in full tilt down the sideline. - wasn't replaced as all subs used, we finished the match with 14 men
K Kelly-7- only did ok he wasn't amazing from play or anything and struggled to get on the ball, he did well from dead ball though. Would need to improve to make the Championship team.
L Blanchfield-7- a good start for a young lad, when he actually got on the ball. He did struggle to get on the ball though. He took his 1-3 very well but against a tougher team he would have really stuggled to get the ball, when he does get it he's good. Plenty for him to work on and I'm sure he'll come on well after hurling with the lads a bit more.
JJ Farrell-7- tried his heart out and caused loads of trouble but reaped very little benefits himself at the end of the day. He did set up a few goals and does cause lots of trouble but not up to the championship pace.
J Power-7- The best I've seen him play and if he could only catch a ball sent into him he'd be lethal. Weather the ball is over his head or out in front he could have destroyed them altogether. He could only get possession if he stopped it with the hurl or if it hopped off the palm and landed on the ground but most of these he lost. When he did get it he caused loads of trouble very frustrating.

thought John Joe was very effective and also thought Conor O'Shea was very good, very mobile.

we should not try and rush back anyone for the Clare match.

tbiggertycome wrote: »

From the end of an article in the Irish Examiner about Colin Fennellys thoughts on Get Loughnanes comments.

"Fennelly and brother Michael both suffered hamstring injuries in the win over Offaly along with full-back Robert Lennon. Both Fennellys are expected to be available for the Clare game though Lennon is facing four to six weeks out. Paul Murphy is doubtful for the Clare game with a shoulder problem.

Colin Fennelly as speaking at the Etihad Airways GAA World Games 2016 launch in Croke Park yesterday."

I wouldn't take any chances with the hamstring injuries anyway. Give them an extra week or two if they need it.

Paul Murphy may be out for a few weeks with the shoulder. Again, no point in rushing him back if he's not ready.

Replacements are there - give them a run.

By the way, Conor Fogarty shouldn't be too far away now. Anybody know?