All Ireland Club Hurling Championship 2012-2013

[townman]

so you are saying K/K might as well stay at home that they won't be at the races
hope they don't have your faith

Just giving my honest opinion on what I think could happen I hope that i'm wrong.
I notice that while you are having a pop at my opinion you are not making any predictions yourself?

Best of luck to K/K on saturday![/quote]

well what did i tell you

[kingscounty]

Wonderful win for K/K against a Thurles team that blew themselves up after winning one munster title!! As i said before if K/K played as a unit they would be in with a great shot and today the whole team played for each other tackling and supporting each other at every chance. Kilmartin at midfield for me was my man of the match , he ran at Thurles and tackled till the very end , Slevin showed his class on the frees and showed how vital he is to K/K. Mahon gave Maher his belly full today and he stopped him from catching high ball and creating the way he usually does. Its unfair really to single out any player because the whole team were solid and died for the cause today. When the great "LAR" was hooked in the first half and K/K got the sliothar and sent it over the bar it showed how up for this game K/K were. Danny Owens has to get great credit for what he has done with K/K this year , he has them hungry and as a unit has them very much together. This north Offaly man went home very happy today , WELL DONE KILCORMAC/KILLOUGHEY.

[Ahlethimoutwithit]

Huge win for KK. Incredible support for them from all over the county.

First of all twas a team victory in the sense that it was very hard to pick out 1 man of the match, as to a man everyone had their moments. After the first few minutes it was obvious that if KK believed in themselves then they could win. Chattin lads on the way out, was hard to pick out a man of the match for KK, give it to Danny (Owens!!), and Jimmy Dunne.

It is hard to put it into words the feeling leaving O'Moore Park, I was proud leaving Nowlan pk in Dec, but this was different. We beat a team with men with Senior, U21 and Minor all Irelands, and beat them with determination, physicality, and skill. And a bit of tactical awareness, that used to be our trademark as a county. When we look through Coolderry,Birr, Rynaghs, Clareen, SHinrone, and the rest, this must be an eye opener as to what we could achieve as a county with more focus. Anyway thats all for another day.

Well done to all involved and tis great to have a big day in Croker to look forward to.

Will be a difficult task, both the other teams looked immpressive from the bits I saw.

Well done to Danny Owens, he has done a great job with these lads.

[townman]

The Wagon Wheel will get some lash tonight fair play to K/K, some support today from all
over offaly, you could here a pin drop when Thurles came out, but when K/K ran on you
couldn't hear your ears.

[kinnittyman]

What a super performance by KK today.

The workrate from their players was absolutely outstanding. Their forwards could deliver a lesson to our county forwards on how to pressurise the defender into rushed clearances and or forcing a turnover. Also I lost count the amount of times KK players got in hooks and blocks. Top Class.

But for me the most pleasing aspect of the game was the way KK totally dominated Thurles in the second half other than a 7 minute spell when Thurles got it back to a point. But it would have been a travesty if Thurles had to go on and win the game from there. KK's workrate was far superior to Thurles' and this was the basis for the win.

Also two huge pieces of fortune went KK's way - 1) Pa Bourke's penalty hitting the bar and 2) The KK keeper stopping that corner forward's flick in the second half. To be honest the ball hit the keeper rather than him making the save. However with the way KK approached the game they deserved this luck.

With people wondering what the Tipperary response to the game they might be interested to know I actually went to the game with a friend of mine from Tipp. He was absolutely disgusted with the performance of Sars. He said this was the sort of performance that Sars are notorious for in Tipp but people thought they had moved on. Obviously not!! He also made the valid point that in no way could Tipperary justify having Pa Bourke and Lar Corbett in the same forward line come Munster Championship as you would actually be carrying both of them due to their obvious disdain for hard work. He believes that Lar is now more of a distraction than anything else and Tipp would benefit from not having him on the panel.

Anyways none of that is KK's concern and they can now plan for the biggest day in the club's history. One more step.

[first_touch]

Well done and congratulations to Kilcormac-Killoughey today. What a brilliant display of teamwork, intensity and skill. I cant understand why people were writing them off. As a previous poster said they showed the characteristics that used to be the trademarks of Offaly hurling. Their display today and in the Leinster Final brought to mind some of the glory days of the past. Which raises the prospect of Danny Owens as future Offaly manager!

[old yellar]

Well done to kk. A deserved win. Typical offaly hurling, as in they hurled with huge passion and a great attitude. I ve written them off each match i have to say but they seem to be getting better with every game. I thought the dry day and open pitch wouldnt suit them but it didnt faze them. Slevin was again fantastic but so too were all the other forwards who looked like the had the beating of their opponent. And most got a score or two also which eases the burden. Sars were made look v average. No hunger for hard work. The defence did their job really well too. Kk wont be beaten for workrate anyhow. So paddys day and offaly hurling still are entwinned and long may that last. Best of luck from al here in carlow.

[uibhfhailiabu]

We've been through this debate before, with different teams. It is possible to hope for something and passionately wish it to happen with your heart, while still realising with your head that it's highly unlikely. Obviously in my line of work I have to be able to do that, and occasionally you are pleasantly surprised. However the simple truth is that nine times out of ten, when you believe a hiding is coming, it comes. That doesn't mean that the underdogs shouldn't show up, just that they are underdogs for a reason and they need to play well, get some luck, and hope that the favourites are below par.

I'm not saying I expect a hiding for KK tomorrow and I certainly hope it doesn't happen. I hope I get to Croke Park to shout on an Offaly club as well as St Brigids (the inlaws!) But if you ask me which is more likely - a KK win by any margin at all, or a Thurles win by ten or more, well then let's just say I'd prefer not to answer.

Logic would dictate that match ups like James Geraghty on David Kennedy, Conor Mahon on Padraig Maher, Pa Bourke on Ger Healion and Kilmartin against Gleeson are ones where on paper, Thurles should have a big advantage. KK have to break even in these and hope to get an edge elsewhere. Also, in the run up to the Oulart game, KK were flying in challenge matches. Now, they really aren't, quite the opposite. I know these are just challenge matches, but there's no way Danny Owens goes into these games hoping his lads will get hurled up a stick. There are real concerns there.

KK have a chance, as any team do. But even at the odds of 5/1, or with a six point head start, I'd be lying if I said I thought they were good value. Thurles are vulnerable and they aren't winning games by big margins up to now, so if KK can follow the template laid out by Plain of the Herbs above, they might pull off a shock.

To end on a note of unity - let's hope they do.

Not a bad effort for the 2nd best team in the county. Please tip whoever we play in the final!!

[Lone Shark]

Not a bad effort for the 2nd best team in the county. Please tip whoever we play in the final!!

I'm getting more than a bit sick of this now.


(1) I wrote that in advance of the Leinster final, by which time all they had done was just about beat very ordinary teams (in a Leinster context) from Laois and Carlow. Coolderry were consistently more impressive in the group stages and just had one bad day. I've since written on several occasions that K-K stepped up to a new level since then. Of course everyone ignores that.
(2) Others still think that K-K are second best, even now - http://www.paddypower.com/bet/gaa-sport ... ids=274738
And note these are people putting their money where their mouth is. I note that there are plenty of people queuing up to talk big and give out to me over the piece, but I can also confirm that there hasn't been a red cent of money for second favourites K-K for next year's championship. Just as it was yesterday - everyone talked about the 5/1 price, but unless things changed in the morning, nobody was actually betting on it. And coming from a betting background, I've learned that talk is cheap but the movement of money is the real indicator of the truth.

Honest to God I'm delighted for the club and the members, both playing and officials, who are some of the greatest GAA people in the county. However some of the grief I'm getting this past few months is making it very hard to do so. Most of it is light hearted but some of it is anything but. One person actually took the time out to send me a tirade of abuse ending in a threat and more have told me I'm not welcome in the town. Over a namajaysus newspaper article.
(I will point out here however that the one player I talked to after the whole thing took the time out to send me a message inviting me to join the celebrations in the town after the Oulart game - but that's what I'd expect from players who put themselves out there and who understand the game, instead of just looking for trouble.)

So let me be clear. At the start of November, when I wrote that piece, that Coolderry were still a point or two the better team was my view. Now, K-K have hit new heights and what they did yesterday was better than anything I saw from Coolderry and probably on a par with some of Birr's better performances in their heyday - and that's no small praise. Happy now?

Christ. Talk about taking away the feelgood factor.

[Plain of the Herbs]

In a nutshell, Kilcormac-Killoughey went to Portlaoise to fight a war. Thurles came to play a match.

K-K’s dominance of the many rucks and scrums was critical. There must have been about 20 such ‘breakdowns’ in the first half alone, and K-K emerged with the ball after all bar about two of them. Damien Kilmartin was massive here.

The only time TS dominated such contests for possession was in that spell between (about) the 45th and 55th minutes during which TS reduced the gap to a single point.

K-K had 15 heroes. Alan McConville had a massive game in the full-back line. Kevin Grogan was mighty throughout. John Grogan came into it and had a great last 20 minutes. Daniel Currams’ work-rate has been questioned by me for a number of years now, but on Saturday Currams worked like a dog. He really has grown up which is bloody brilliant. James Gorman was an effective target for the wind-assisted second-half puckout.

K-K’s tackling, in the main, was quite superb, forcing TS players into overcarrying numerous times.

K-K’s Final opposition having an extra game isn’t ideal, but there isn’t anything K-K can do about that.

A pity to see Katie Troy (who has been K-K’s faithful maor uisce for many years now, and will be again) banned from the sideline by Central Council.

There is some room for improvement. There always is. K-K still tend to overdo the ground hurling, though not as much as in the Leinster Final. There were still too many ‘lazy’ tackles that coughed up frees, including the traditional ‘Offaly’ tackle of waving the hurl with a limp wrist across the ball-carrier as they speed past.

The K-K management need to be more controlled. Too much bucklepping betimes. They should have moved to calm a few hotheads during that frenzy about 20 minutes in. They might have been better served issuing instructions when TS put the pressure on during the second half instead of putting their hurls behind their heads in exasperation. That’s for the supporters to do.

Still. Great win. Roll on March 17th. A day to roll the Wagonwheel to Dublin and to turn Dropkick Murphys’ ‘I’m shipping up to Boston’ up full pelt.

[Plain of the Herbs]

I've just watched a recording of the match. To add to the above -

Peter Geraghty got through an absolute amount of work, which I didn't spot during the match. He was actually K-K's top man. Honourable mention to Killian Leonard too.

Pádraic Maher didn't hit a ball in the second half (with the exception of a free or two) until stoppage time.

Alan McConville has real potential as a corner-back.

Droch-job ag Dónal O'Grady sa bosca trachtaire. Chuir Dónal gach poc saor a fuair C-C faoi cheist, agus bhí sé mícheart go minic. Cárta dearg go Dónal. Beidh air feachaint ar an físteip sular rachaidh sé ar an teilifís mar anailisí arís.

[Bord na Mona man]

Delighted for K-K, they've come a long way in the last few months. It was teed up perfectly for them with the attitude that seemed to be coming out of Tipperary.
Teamwork, hunger and well orchestrated tactics won the day over a team who probably thought their big names would carry the day.

The AI final will be a different animal though. Whoever they play will have heavily analysed. I think both OTB and Thurles presumed they would win these games on their own strengths rather than actually doing a forensic assessment of KK and seeing what their weaknesses are and what players needed to be nullified. Coolderry had a couple of undiagnosed problems areas in their defence cruelly exposed on the biggest stage last year. Also, in an All Ireland final and the sense of occasion, it is harder to hurl with that underdog mentality.

[True Red]

Congrats to KK and i hope they go all the way.

On this point;

A pity to see Katie Troy (who has been K-K’s faithful maor uisce for many years now, and will be again) banned from the sideline by Central Council.

Having played against KK a number of times in the big ball game i have seen this girl at all of the matches. It saddens me to think that bureaucratic nonsense prohibits her from carrying out her usual Maor Uisce duties.

Here's hoping some official somewhere will see a bit of sense and allow her to participate in the biggest Club occasion of them all come March 17th.

[llkj]

Lone Shark wrote:
I note that there are plenty of people queuing up to talk big and give out to me over the piece, but I can also confirm that there hasn't been a red cent of money for second favourites K-K for next year's championship.Just as it was yesterday - everyone talked about the 5/1 price, but unless things changed in the morning, nobody was actually betting on it. And coming from a betting background, I've learned that talk is cheap but the movement of money is the real indicator of the truth.

I've commented on this before, but just to reiterate; I don't believe that just because someone hasn't spent money that they are not entitled to their opinion. Maybe in the gambling/commerce world, spending money is the only 'truth' but for a lot of people they can form an opinion and communicate that belief without having to gamble money to legitimate their point of view.

Also, getting abuse is never nice. Don't let a couple of people telling you that you are not welcome to celebrate in KK speak for everyone. If it is something that you want to do, then you have as much entitlement to be there as the person telling you that you are not welcome. In writing your rankings of teams, you knew it was going to be read and in placing the first time county champions as number 2, you knew it was going to cause debate and get some people worked up. Writing a public column where you are expressing your opinion is not going to make you popular with everyone, so there is not much point in taking umbrage with the few that pull you up on it in a way that you don't like.

[Toxicity234]

Congts to Kilcormac Killoughey.

I have to say that Thurles Sarsfields didn't know what hit them.
Kilcormac Killoughey were miles ahead of Thurles Sarsfields in their skill, use of ball and teamwork.

Kilcormac Killoughey played the game that they wanted to play, every player had a job to do and they stuck to it.

I have a feeling that Pádraic Maher woke up sunday morning and thought Connor Mahon was in bed beside. Mahon did that good a job that Maher was completely out of the game. Sarsfields got no easy way out of defence and were force to over carry, into hospital handballs and pump the ball up into the air.

Damien Kilmartin fought for everything where in the air or on the ground. His arrival normally meant that Kilcormac Killoughey got the ball or that no-one got it.

The Kilcormac Killoughey forwards as a unit were great. Defence's starts at number 15 and work your socks off.

The club final will be a tough game to win.
I was home to watch the 2nd half and extra time of Loughgiel Shamrocks and St Thomas's, It was a great game as well.
Croke Park is a big pitch and the K/K will have work to do to win it but if they work as hard as they did Saturday they have a great chance.

Two St. Patrick Day in a row in Croke Park. I could get use to this.