Another landslide victory for the Kilkenny footballers' opposition at the weekend. Did Clare rack up 2-18 or 4-18? A lot of conflicting reports here. I know its a topic Kilkenny posters must be tired of reading about, but I wonder why nothing is being done to correct the problems associated with Kilkenny football. When you rejoined the national league in 2008, you actually made a decent fist of the campaign. You beat London, and although you lost all the other games in that campaign, most of the defeats were under the 20 point margin. But since then, even by Kilkenny standards, your footballers have been shocking. Wicklow rattling seven goals past you, Clare hammering you, and rarely scoring more than 5 points per game. Hurling will always be the king in Kilkenny, but why not select the hurling panel at the beginning of the year, and leave those not selected with an opportunity to play football? There's no way Kilkenny football is half as bad as the county team's scorelines suggest, from what I hear, there are some fine footballers in KK, but are being held back by their club sides who want them to focus on the hurling only.

It sounds easy to say, but honestly, with some change in KK county board's structures, KK could probably field a half decent team in the Leinster Championship in a few years - well, at least one that would run the Carlows and Longfords of GAA close. I'm sure KK football is in the state its in mainly because it persists in shooting itself in the foot, and really not wanting to make a go of it. And unless that changes, they'll always be the laughing stock of Football. Just look at some of the other counties. Most of them will never in a million years come close to winning the hurling All Ireland, but compete anyway in the lower tier competitions. Look at Dublin. Possibly the laughing stock of the hurling world back in 2004. hockeyed by Offaly in the championship, followed by a 25 point demolition against KK in the qualifiers, to 2009, running KK to 6 points in a Leinster Final, and giving Limerick plenty to think about in the AI quarter finals. All it took was a change in structure 10 years ago, with a lot of more time and effort invested in hurling. now its paying dividends. Just shows what can happen if the effort is made.

Come on KK - put more into the big ball!

Ballboy (Dublin) - Posts: 88 - 16/02/2010 09:46:35    562637

I think the only problem kilkenny see with football is actually playing it, yer right too lads.

Hag_and_Cheese (Tipperary) - Posts: 6103 - 16/02/2010 12:01:44    562788

The problem with Kilkenny football is they should introduce football at an early age like they do with hurling and get more all-hurling clubs to do gaelic football.

jambread (Cork) - Posts: 307 - 17/02/2010 12:22:32    564032

jambread - all schools play football under-age. And there are very few all hurling clubs as most clubs play football also.

We entered the laegue two years ago. And are aiming for a championship entry ina few years time. We can't be world beaters over night.

And I bet there are more football playing clubs in Kilkenny than hurling palying clubs in probably one third of the country.

And at the end of the day we don't like football. It doesn't make us worse Gaels because of it. We do more for hurling and handball than some counties do for all GAA codes. In all honesty, gaelic football in terms of interest would be after hurling, soccer, rugby, handball, squash, tennis, horse racing, basketball, swimming, athletics and most other sports. I know a number of people from outside Kilkenny who say that the talent is there but the interest isn't. There are a couple of Kerry All Ireland medal winners living in Kilkenny who say that there are a number of players in teh county who would grace many inter-county football panels. Unfortunately for the football board, they are hurlers.

Puddersthecat (Kilkenny) - Posts: 1692 - 17/02/2010 16:54:31    564581

Scoil Airgeail in Ballyhale usually win a football title.

hurlingguru (Carlow) - Posts: 1846 - 17/02/2010 21:13:28    565004

I never realised that puddersthecat. i have nothing against Kilkenny football and i wish them well in the near future and might cause an upset or two when they join the championship against maybe... Longford or Carlow. I apologise for my earlier comments

jambread (Cork) - Posts: 307 - 18/02/2010 12:40:28    565383

heard Dick Mullins was onto Croke Park about transfers for Kilkenny footballers as a disadvantaged county. Laois's loss will be kilkennys gain as young Damien Carter is too be one of ther first to make the move.However having played with the lad he's quiet good and should be a good addition.

gannon (USA) - Posts: 11 - 23/02/2010 22:04:07    571521

Does Kilkenny even have a football team?? Could have fooled me!!

livinitlarge (Galway) - Posts: 10 - 25/02/2010 14:58:50    573009

Kilkenny were out of competitive football for so long that its taking their players time to adapt to the speed & skill of other counties. While it is nice to see them in the NFL its a pity they are getting hammered.London v Kilkenny will be a cracker!!!

WildPundit (Tipperary) - Posts: 1709 - 25/02/2010 20:55:23    573486

Sure will wilpundit, its just one of those games where theworld will watch with anticipation

mayoultras100 (Mayo) - Posts: 138 - 28/02/2010 18:01:44    575258

What a tie it must have been.. How many points did Kilkenny score? I think London (London?!?!) kicked 1-17

TAFKANO1FAN (Carlow) - Posts: 588 - 10/03/2010 13:13:19    584085

Probaly the biggest London total ever. I mean 2 points from KK is a poor return even against London. I was predicting 1-12 to 2-12!!!!Shame it was another troucing though.pointless.

WildPundit (Tipperary) - Posts: 1709 - 10/03/2010 14:21:33    584169

More worried about our hurlers after our loss to Tipp......

Puddersthecat (Kilkenny) - Posts: 1692 - 11/03/2010 14:13:56    585290

I would'nt worry Pudders......Never underestimate the Cats...Prob playing mind games now so that teams might think yer off yer game & ye'll prob do the Famous 5!!!

WildPundit (Tipperary) - Posts: 1709 - 15/03/2010 19:30:04    589007

everything is wrong

sonnky (Galway) - Posts: 498 - 25/03/2010 20:08:14    599208

Limerick 8-13 Kilkenny 2-2
Last night's game in the Gelic Grounds was never going to be a pleasant experience for the visitors. After being relegated last year on points difference, Limerick's need for scores mean that they were aiming foir jugular right from the throw-in.

And over the twenty minutes between their first goal and their fifth, Limerick were unstoppable. Granted, they were up against an overwhelmed opposition but, from midfield up, there was a pace and a concentration to their game that would have put it up to any team. With Jim Donovan lording it in midfield, Ger Collins and James Ryan providing the attack points and Seanie Buckley and John Cooke barrelling onto possession, they ripped the Kilkenny defence apart without even a moment's letup. Ten minutes before the break, they were 5-8 to 0-0 ahead after having spent the entire period in their opponent's half off the field. Even the backs got in on the act as full-back Conor Mullane finished off a scything ten-pass move to score possibly the most spectacular goal ever by a Limerick player.

But then it all stopped. Kilkenny began to pack more bodies into defence and the fluency left the forwards as they shot eight wides in a row before Cooke got his second goal on the stroke at half-time. Then, when the sides re-emerged, Kilkenny were contesting every ball instead of holding back and hit goals from Declan Grennan and James Culleton in as many minutes to rock Limerick's composure. Gary Lalor added a pair of points before the fightback petered out on the three-quarter as the fitter hosts regained total control. However, without the frantic pace of early on, the scores came slower with two goals from Buckley and four long range points completing the tally.

While there was a big difference in class between the sides, Kilkenny weren't as bad as the scoreline suggests. After allowing themselves to be overwhelmed early on, their third quarter rally showed that there is potential in the lineup. Lalor, Culleton, Michael Saunders (despite his place-kicking problems) and Richard O'Hara all caused Limerick serious problems and, if they could flesh out their lineup with some additional quality and add greater intensity to their preparations, they have the basis for a senior inter-county squad.

But they face serious difficulties in trying to prepare a settled side that could hold its own in Division Four. Just one player came from the traditional stronghold in the northeast of the county and no one at all from the three City clubs and, to make matters worse, they lost a few of their starting lineup to under-21 hurling trials this wekend for a championship that won't start for months.

Prof Honeydew (Limerick) - Posts: 1110 - 28/03/2010 18:50:20    601526

Lads I would stick to the hurling if I were yee !!

shnappy (Wexford) - Posts: 220 - 13/04/2010 18:15:32    616375

Whats the story with your underage football. surely you are getting money from Croke Park to coach these young lads. To score 0.00 zero for sixty mins against Meath in the minor match the weekend. I feel sorry for the young lads that are involved. If you were playing Meath in Minor hurling at least they would score 10 points. come lads more effort at under age will reap rewards at senior ???

Kildareaido (Kildare) - Posts: 61 - 19/04/2010 13:00:21    621813

Kildareairo, we are trying but the interest just isn't there. You can't make lads play it, and we really don't care enough about the game. Its not as imoportant enough a game as hurling.

KKid (Kilkenny) - Posts: 421 - 20/04/2010 10:25:51    622995

In 2008, when Kilkenny returned to the national football league, I thought it could only be a good thing - at last KK fielding a football team on a regular basis,and taking the sport seriously again. But having seen the results they had in the league this year, combined with their minors losing by 44 points against Meath, I've had to have a re-think. You'd think somebody would have had the foresight to train the bunch of 17 and 18 year olds you sent out in Navan last week properly. You'd think that like every other county in Ireland, a development squad would have been in place since Under 14 level, so that when the lads did reach minor level, they'd have been used to each others game, and could have given one of the other counties a decent run for their money.You'd think they might at least be able to score one point. But no......this is Kilkenny we're talking about after all.

Lads, this will sound harsh given your contribution to hurling, but your county board, and general attitude to the big ball is repulsive. Please do us all a favour, and take the game seriously if you're going to be entering national competitions. If you can't do that, then kindly stop insulting us by putting rubbish team after rubbish team onto GAA fields around the country, and concentrate on hurling only. Its obvious no effort is being put into football, and you're treating the football competitions as a complete joke. Stop it now, and stop wasting our time. What do you suppose Meath got out of that minor game at the weekend? absolutely nothing, it was no preparation for them for the rest of the championship.

I believe you put out a team in the leinster junior football championship - do us all a favour, follow your minors' lead, and pull out of that competition now. You'd be no big loss, trust me.

Ballboy (Dublin) - Posts: 88 - 20/04/2010 16:56:54    623672