Post by kerrybhoy on Sept 16, 2006 11:26:11 GMT
The GAA's Special K's
Which is the GAA's special K.
Many will be familiar with Kellogg's Special K: as a breakfast cereal for Weight Management.
Well, the GAA have their own version of Special K, Kilkenny or Kerry? They have both also managed their weight one choosing hurling medals & the other preferring the football equivalent.
Let's engage in a little what if?
What if Kilkenny chose to be competitive in gaelic football?
A brief look back at history will show that it may well have been possible.
Kilkenny were Leinster Senior Football Champions on three occasions, 1888, 1900 and 1911.
From this they have went 77 years since they won a senior championship match: in 1929 they beat Louth by ten points to four and the nearest they came since was a 3-8 to 3-4 defeat against Kildare in 1961, a year after they reached the Leinster Junior Championship final
Kilkenny is unique among the 32 county associations in not entering a team in either the All Ireland Senior Football championship or the National Football League.
Meanwhile hurling has flourished. Despite being the tenth smallest county in terms of size Kilkenny lie second in the roll of honour. 29 senior All Irelands, just one behind Cork & four ahead of third placed Tipperary. It is also worth mentioning that Kilkenny gave both the Munster counties mentioned a 6 All ireland start, possibly due to being a dual county in the early days.
Now to the Kingdom of Kerry. Same question -
What if Kerry chose to be competitive in hurling?
Remember Kerry's first All-Ireland was in hurling. In 1891.
Only club teams were allowed in 1891, so Kilmoyley club, a team from North Kerry, disbanded and joined up with Ballyduff so their joint team could win the All-Ireland. After the game the rules were changed to allow selected county teams in the Championship. Change meant just that and off Kerry went on their way to the top of football's roll of honour with 33 All Irelands. Second placed Dublin are well behind on 22 with the third placed Galway almost on a different planet with a measly nine.
Which is the stronger GAA county?
Well, at least Kerry compete at senior hurling. On the other hand Kilkenny have won numerous All irelands in camogie and handball.
What of the Kilkenny footballers?
Have Kilkenny taken the correct course of action with no gaelic football senior involvement. Those from outside the county say No.
Those inside seemingly mostly say Yes.
In 1914 a young team mascot, Peter Dunne, had to line out to complete their team.
In the eighties a fifty-year old plus team bus driver lined out and allegedly they were still to perform short in numbers. hardly the kind of publicity a proud GAA county would want.
The county Senior football final is played at the end of Springtime as is the Junior & Intermediate finals. Only those close to players will know that its happening with the bottom line being to get it all folded and packed away for another year before the hurling starts.
What of the Kerry hurlers?
Last Sunday was county senior hurling final day in the Kingdom. When Ballyduff and Causeway lined out at Austin Stack Park, Tralee by all accounts it was a great occasion as championship fever reaches its climax in both areas all week. The villages were decorated in their club colours. The majority of the teams competing come from a group of parishes in the north of the county but it is still a big deal.
Kerry V Kilkenny in senior football
Short history but they were grouped together in the NFL maybe a dozen seasons ago. Kerry took it easy while still running up a cricket score victory. Probably the kind of result which made up Kilkenny's mind up about the big ball game & NFL future participation.
Kerry v Kilkenny in senior hurling.
Better days here including one that goes down in the annals of Kerry hurling folklore.
NOVEMBER 1980 at TRALEE KERRY 0-11 KILKENNY 0-11
IT HAPPENED and heres the match report to prove
Kilkenny hurlers came on the long overnight trip to Tralee to play the local side in Division 1B of the NHL. It was the first meeting of the sides in this competition and only the second ever meeting of Kilkenny and Kerry in any grade of hurling.
The game itself was a thriller with scores being level on five occasions in all. Kilkenny scored two points in the first three minutes. A rout looked on the cards. However Kerry found their feet. Tremendous displays by John Bunyan and Joe Kelly kept Kerry very much in the game. Kilkenny scored three late points before the interval, to edge into a 0-08 to 0-06 lead at the break. A '65 and a free in the 12th & 13th minute by current GAA President Nicky Brennan put Kilkenny further ahead
Thereafter Kilkenny were to score only one more point. The Kerry fight back brought points from Tod Nolan and Bunyan who were in fact to prove Kerry's only score getters. Tensions mounted as Kerry clawed their way back, climaxing in a free 30 yards out in injury time with a one point deficit. Up stepped ballyduff's John Bunyan to slot it between the posts and salvage a historic draw for the men from the Kingdom.
The Kilkenny line out was:
Noel Skehan
Paddy Neary, Jim Moran, Richie Reid.
Nicky Brennan 0-02, Ger henderson, J Lennon.
Murty Kennerdy 0-01, Paudie Lannon.
Eamoon Wallace, Billy Fitzpatrick 0-05, John Brennan.
Michael Nash 0-02, Christy Heffernan, Tom Moran 0-01.
Sub used Matt Ruth.
We all heard subsequent stories about how Kilkenny were wined & dined on the Saturday but remember that Kilkenny were also lucky enough to come out of Tralee with a 2-08 to 0-11 victory in March 1994 in the same competition.
Since then Kerry hurlers have had a few other big days.
In the 1993 Munster championship, John Meyler's Kerry team defeated Waterford hurlers by 4-13 to 3-13 in Walsh Park. Waterford had won the under 21 All Ireland the previous Autumn but this win was a just reward for those years of progress which included that draw with Kilkenny in the League.
Kerry followed this up in 1995 with their most famous ever League victory, over newly crowned All Ireland champions Clare.
The ambition of hurling people in Kerry is to return to the Munster Senior Championship some time soon.
Which is the GAA's special K.
Many will be familiar with Kellogg's Special K: as a breakfast cereal for Weight Management.
Well, the GAA have their own version of Special K, Kilkenny or Kerry? They have both also managed their weight one choosing hurling medals & the other preferring the football equivalent.
Let's engage in a little what if?
What if Kilkenny chose to be competitive in gaelic football?
A brief look back at history will show that it may well have been possible.
Kilkenny were Leinster Senior Football Champions on three occasions, 1888, 1900 and 1911.
From this they have went 77 years since they won a senior championship match: in 1929 they beat Louth by ten points to four and the nearest they came since was a 3-8 to 3-4 defeat against Kildare in 1961, a year after they reached the Leinster Junior Championship final
Kilkenny is unique among the 32 county associations in not entering a team in either the All Ireland Senior Football championship or the National Football League.
Meanwhile hurling has flourished. Despite being the tenth smallest county in terms of size Kilkenny lie second in the roll of honour. 29 senior All Irelands, just one behind Cork & four ahead of third placed Tipperary. It is also worth mentioning that Kilkenny gave both the Munster counties mentioned a 6 All ireland start, possibly due to being a dual county in the early days.
Now to the Kingdom of Kerry. Same question -
What if Kerry chose to be competitive in hurling?
Remember Kerry's first All-Ireland was in hurling. In 1891.
Only club teams were allowed in 1891, so Kilmoyley club, a team from North Kerry, disbanded and joined up with Ballyduff so their joint team could win the All-Ireland. After the game the rules were changed to allow selected county teams in the Championship. Change meant just that and off Kerry went on their way to the top of football's roll of honour with 33 All Irelands. Second placed Dublin are well behind on 22 with the third placed Galway almost on a different planet with a measly nine.
Which is the stronger GAA county?
Well, at least Kerry compete at senior hurling. On the other hand Kilkenny have won numerous All irelands in camogie and handball.
What of the Kilkenny footballers?
Have Kilkenny taken the correct course of action with no gaelic football senior involvement. Those from outside the county say No.
Those inside seemingly mostly say Yes.
In 1914 a young team mascot, Peter Dunne, had to line out to complete their team.
In the eighties a fifty-year old plus team bus driver lined out and allegedly they were still to perform short in numbers. hardly the kind of publicity a proud GAA county would want.
The county Senior football final is played at the end of Springtime as is the Junior & Intermediate finals. Only those close to players will know that its happening with the bottom line being to get it all folded and packed away for another year before the hurling starts.
What of the Kerry hurlers?
Last Sunday was county senior hurling final day in the Kingdom. When Ballyduff and Causeway lined out at Austin Stack Park, Tralee by all accounts it was a great occasion as championship fever reaches its climax in both areas all week. The villages were decorated in their club colours. The majority of the teams competing come from a group of parishes in the north of the county but it is still a big deal.
Kerry V Kilkenny in senior football
Short history but they were grouped together in the NFL maybe a dozen seasons ago. Kerry took it easy while still running up a cricket score victory. Probably the kind of result which made up Kilkenny's mind up about the big ball game & NFL future participation.
Kerry v Kilkenny in senior hurling.
Better days here including one that goes down in the annals of Kerry hurling folklore.
NOVEMBER 1980 at TRALEE KERRY 0-11 KILKENNY 0-11
IT HAPPENED and heres the match report to prove
Kilkenny hurlers came on the long overnight trip to Tralee to play the local side in Division 1B of the NHL. It was the first meeting of the sides in this competition and only the second ever meeting of Kilkenny and Kerry in any grade of hurling.
The game itself was a thriller with scores being level on five occasions in all. Kilkenny scored two points in the first three minutes. A rout looked on the cards. However Kerry found their feet. Tremendous displays by John Bunyan and Joe Kelly kept Kerry very much in the game. Kilkenny scored three late points before the interval, to edge into a 0-08 to 0-06 lead at the break. A '65 and a free in the 12th & 13th minute by current GAA President Nicky Brennan put Kilkenny further ahead
Thereafter Kilkenny were to score only one more point. The Kerry fight back brought points from Tod Nolan and Bunyan who were in fact to prove Kerry's only score getters. Tensions mounted as Kerry clawed their way back, climaxing in a free 30 yards out in injury time with a one point deficit. Up stepped ballyduff's John Bunyan to slot it between the posts and salvage a historic draw for the men from the Kingdom.
The Kilkenny line out was:
Noel Skehan
Paddy Neary, Jim Moran, Richie Reid.
Nicky Brennan 0-02, Ger henderson, J Lennon.
Murty Kennerdy 0-01, Paudie Lannon.
Eamoon Wallace, Billy Fitzpatrick 0-05, John Brennan.
Michael Nash 0-02, Christy Heffernan, Tom Moran 0-01.
Sub used Matt Ruth.
We all heard subsequent stories about how Kilkenny were wined & dined on the Saturday but remember that Kilkenny were also lucky enough to come out of Tralee with a 2-08 to 0-11 victory in March 1994 in the same competition.
Since then Kerry hurlers have had a few other big days.
In the 1993 Munster championship, John Meyler's Kerry team defeated Waterford hurlers by 4-13 to 3-13 in Walsh Park. Waterford had won the under 21 All Ireland the previous Autumn but this win was a just reward for those years of progress which included that draw with Kilkenny in the League.
Kerry followed this up in 1995 with their most famous ever League victory, over newly crowned All Ireland champions Clare.
The ambition of hurling people in Kerry is to return to the Munster Senior Championship some time soon.
