Can even the greatest team ever cope with the losses they are having? Tommy Walsh, Brian Hogan, Taggy Fogarty and David Herity all retired. Question marks over Henry and JJ.

Can they be expected to defend their crown next year. Is it too much a hit to take or do those players know now is a good time to go becasue the bodies are there to step in??

29 all Irelands between the 4 of them, unreal.

Brianmac78 (Dublin) - Posts: 1168 - 26/11/2014 13:08:43    1674992

Yes they will cope.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 26/11/2014 13:30:22    1675003

Not only will they cope next year, theyll probably win the thing.
As far as I know, Tommy walsh and Brian Hogan didnt feature in the final this year anyway, while Fogarty was almost always a squad player under Cody.
Ignore the eternal optimists, the cats are here to stay.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 26/11/2014 14:16:17    1675017

They will win the All-Ireland next year at their dead ease. Those players have 29 All-Irelands between them - fantastic achievment. 29 - was also the number of minutes that they played in this year's championship -combined!

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 26/11/2014 15:03:50    1675030

Top teams always cope with retirements
Look at Kerry this year

RAHKILL (Westmeath) - Posts: 395 - 26/11/2014 15:07:53    1675032

Out of all the people named 1 is an actual starter.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 7887 - 26/11/2014 15:30:55    1675037

The one that does actually start was replaced in the final. And guess what? The man who replaced him won Man-Of-The-Match. The Cats will always be there or there abouts. One thing however is that the players leaving are such top class that what they bring to training will be sorely missed. Imagine marking Tommy Walsh in a training match!

deadybai (Kilkenny) - Posts: 63 - 26/11/2014 15:46:22    1675042

nobody knows what any team will be like until 2015 actually comes along and we see what personal and shape all teams are in

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 26/11/2014 15:56:25    1675046

With none of the starting 15 who actually won the AI retiring just yet there should be no such problems next year for Kilkenny.
They will always produce great hurlers no matter what crop of players retire.

WildPundit (Tipperary) - Posts: 1709 - 26/11/2014 16:15:06    1675049

somethings never change great players come and great players go
but kerry and kilkenny will allways win allirelands
sucess breeds sucess and tradition talks
the rest of us can only hope to get one here and there
thats the reality sorry to say

rhudson (Galway) - Posts: 1478 - 26/11/2014 17:17:18    1675063

bennybunny
County: Cork
Posts: 2594

1675030
They will win the All-Ireland next year at their dead ease. Those players have 29 All-Irelands between them - fantastic achievment. 29 - was also the number of minutes that they played in this year's championship -combined!

You may get your calculator out again! But I know what you mean!

KK's dominance has almost always been put down to the level of competition within the squad so I wouldn't understimate the effect these retirements could possibly have.

Cody fielded players such as Holden, Mark Kelly,JJ Farrell & Brian Kennedy (and despite 1-1 in the final) John Power. Add Walter Walsh to this list combined with Hogan, Fogarty and probably Shefflin retiring. I have no doubt that the rest of their squad will and needs to be overhauled. JJ and Jackie aren't getting any younger either but this is likely to be counteracted by the fact the younger lads will improve.

My counter argument to the rest of the posts is that some of the squad players mentioned above are simply not intercounty players and there is no questions the KK "greats" will ever be replaced to the same level.

The two marquee players now are now Reid and Hogan who both took a number of years to break into the team. There is no doubt in my mind that KK are not as good as they were and can be beaten but the other teams have to come up a level or two.

If I believed what is written here I'd give up playing and watching hurling!! KK aren't going away but they can be beaten. That's my assessment anyway!

tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 26/11/2014 17:34:58    1675067

tiobraid
County: Tipperary
Posts: 1336

Excellent post Tiobraid of course kilkenny will be there next year of course they;ll be there or thereabots but i wouldn;t think they;re unbeatable not when they played one or two players this yr that in my opinion were average enough by kilkenny terms anyway.Having said that an all irl minor in 2010 and 2014 would suggest that they;ve plenty coming but they;re trying to replace some of the best hurlers that ever played the game.Defo one of the favourites but far from dead certs.

someday (Limerick) - Posts: 1104 - 26/11/2014 18:35:54    1675075

Bennybunny,i dont believe Kilkenny will win next years All Ireland at their ease.Very rarely does any team win anything at their ease.I would have Kilkenny as slight favourites due to being current champions,and their recent championship record.The chasing pack are closing in though and i dont think theres much of gap anymore.Clare for me are close second favourites.Poor year last year,but can be somewhat forgiven this,as it is very hard for such a young team to defend an All Ireland.Especially in a county that hasnt won a multitude of All Irelands.Limerick have some unfinished business.They are ready for a big Croke Park win.I would have them third favourites.Tipp,i feel,may find it hard to get back to another All Ireland final.Being a Hawkeye call away from winning this year,might have done some lasting damage.Especially mentally.I dont fancy Tipps chances next year.Too much collateral damage.CorK and Galway have a decent outside chance.Waterford,Wexford,Dublin may cause an upset,but ultimate honours are a step too far.Offaly,Laois and Antrim are working hard,but are still a way off the top teams.Looking forward to it already.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 26/11/2014 18:49:03    1675079

KK even earlier this year they looked unbeatable, but its getting tougher, age/time catches up with everything, when Cody goes we'll be amazed like Ferguson, how quickly it disappears. Cody is the reason they are unbeatable, when he goes its curtains.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4896 - 26/11/2014 18:49:52    1675080

Nonsense. KK would win All Irelands with or without Cody. Maybe not 10 but they'd have won at least 5 or 6 over the period of his tenure no matter what KK man was in charge.It's a cultural thing, something most other counties dont have, hurling is their religion in a way which it is no longer in Tipp and especially Cork, and in a way which it never was in other hurling counties.

But I dont think theyll win it in 2015

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1903 - 26/11/2014 20:33:36    1675097

I often wonder do players retire of their own accord or has Cody already told them they are surplus to requirement and maybe already knows who is going to replace them. I read online from Fennelly that Cody normally sends out a text in November to say when training will be kicking off again. Is a coincidence that all these players are retiring at the same time. As another poster said, these players will probably be missed more at training and in the dressing room before games but KK pretty much won the AI this year without using these players much. It will be interesting though to see who comes in to the panel. No doubt Henry will retire and they'll get one more year from JJ and Jackie.

Faithfull (Offaly) - Posts: 573 - 26/11/2014 21:48:11    1675115

Some very interesting views here.

I think one of the main things to come out of this is that it will give the players of other counties a boost when they are back training now. If I'm a Limerick player thats bitterly disappointed after the semi final loss, I am getting a lift from these retirements.

Herity is no loss at all, without seeing young Reid play I assume he is a better goalkeeper. Murphy is a class act and its unlikely he will pick up injuries two years in a row.

The big loss from a match day point of view is Brian Hogan. I completely agree with Thiobraid about the likes of Mark Kelly, Farrell, Walty Walsh etc. I expect to see Get Alyward get a chance in the league though. Barring an injury crisis the retirements won't really weaken the starting 15. It could have an impact on training intensity and match preparation. All in all its a slight glimmer of hope but the likes of Limerick, Clare, Tipp and Cork have to take the fight to Kilkenny next year and not wait for them to fall back into the pack because that is not guaranteed by any stretch of the imagination. The problem there is assuming they win Leinster only two of those four at a maximum would stand in their way of another all-Ireland.

Killarney.87 (Tipperary) - Posts: 2513 - 26/11/2014 21:57:15    1675119

I just find it hilarious when people say Kilkenny arent the team they were. Yet there is still not a team in the country to touch them

222 (UK) - Posts: 692 - 27/11/2014 09:38:21    1675128

222
County: UK
Posts: 205

1675128
I just find it hilarious when people say Kilkenny arent the team they were. Yet there is still not a team in the country to touch them

Expand on this comment please. I'd be interested where you get that idea..In 2008 they were untouchable. They werent this year despite winning everything.

With regards saying they wouldnt win as much without Cody, I would agree. They've won approx 1/3 of their All Irelands under his tenure of a short 15 year (the association is running 130 years!).

I'd be interested in peoples opinions on who will replace JJ at full back (if injured) and who will replace Hogan at 6 (Joyce has only one game played there and despite MOTM only touched the ball 6 times). Bare in mind that JJ was the only option to replace Hickey and Hogan has been a key member for a long time. I'd suspect Joyce won't play at 6 next year and he may try to mould Fennelly into a centre back possibly...
What do ye think?

tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 27/11/2014 10:54:19    1675146

PoolSturgeon
County: Galway
Posts: 105

hurling is their religion in a way which it is no longer in Tipp and especially Cork, and in a way which it never was in other hurling counties.

Not sure what you mean by especially Cork - are you talking about standard or interest? If you are talking about interest then it is incorrect. Hurling is still number 1 here and our hurling team excites Cork people like no other team can even come close to (ie footballers, Cork City, Munster, Ireland etc). If you are talking about standard then fair enough. We are not good enough to win an All-Ireland at the moment and it might take a good few years yet but we'll keep plugging away.

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 27/11/2014 11:02:03    1675149