Kerry Hurlers thread

[legendz]

2017 was a year where Kerry arguably underperformed in the championship. We lost to Meath in the first match, before beating Westmeath in Round 2. Westmeath pipped us on points difference. Losing to Meath was like losing to Down this year.
Westmeath advanced as runners-up to take on Offaly in the Leinster quarter-final. A crack at Offaly would have been great for Kerry at that time. We had one or two good league tussles with Offaly in those years.

[southward]

Not looking great weather-wise for tomorrow. Here's hoping for a good crowd and and the rain holding off for a bit.

[dodgyknees]

Conceding 5-22 to Antrim doesn't bode well for tomorrow as I imagine the Wexford attack will be a step up from the Antrim forwards. I think if we keep it to 10-15 points we'll be doing well.

[legendz]

Jun 10, 2022 14:21:59 GMT dodgyknees said:

Conceding 5-22 to Antrim doesn't bode well for tomorrow as I imagine the Wexford attack will be a step up from the Antrim forwards. I think if we keep it to 10-15 points we'll be doing well.

The way Offaly carved us open for goals and then Antrim last week is a concern. The management have to devise a plan to prevent a repeat.
The Offaly and Antrim games were cracking games but we came out on the wrong side of both results.
Tomorrow is a step into the unknown in some respects. Hopefully the lads will give a good account of themselves. Ciarraí abú!

[Mickmack]

SAT, 11 JUN, 2022 - 06:32
Anthony Daly


During my time as Clare and Dublin manager, there were often games that you just wanted to be over before they even started. To get the job done. To get out of Dodge with your head and your team still intact. Because you knew if you didn’t, there would be hell to pay.

When we lost to Antrim in Croke Park in 2010, I went into a trance afterwards. I hadn’t the stomach to go home. I drove to Galway, booked into a hotel and spent the night staring at the ceiling.

The following day, I went home via the Burren. I stopped off around Black Head and spent over an hour staring into the vast Atlantic Ocean wondering what it was all about, where I was going next as Dublin manager.

Antrim deserved to beat us that day but the questions were rattling inside my head like a woodpecker going to war on the bark of a tree. Why were we beaten? Were we not prepared enough? Was it all down to me?

Kieran Kingston and Darragh Egan don’t need me to tell them how much today’s games against Antrim and Kerry are loaded with risk. They know full well themselves. They’ll also be fully aware that defeat here would be deemed so seismic and unforgiveable that there would probably be no way back and that P45s would be issued in the aftermath. That might sound disrespectful to Antrim and Kerry but are you telling me that won’t happen if Cork or Wexford are beaten?

For me, there are a couple of dominant themes framing the background to these games. Having to go to Corrigan Park and Austin Stack Park will put Cork and Wexford on red alert. Antrim and Kerry will be looking to take full advantage of playing at home but it’s still all wrong that both sides only have a week to prepare for this game after last Saturday’s Joe McDonagh final.


I won’t say it completely diminishes their chances of getting a result but it’s just not fair. We’re all the time on about player welfare, which is really obvious in how we won’t allow our U-20s play at the grade if they feature in the senior championship. The GAA could argue that loads of teams have to play big matches seven days later. But you can’t compare one competition to the other, especially when a team like Kerry – who haven’t been in Division 1 in the league – are expected to go up against a side now which beat Kilkenny in Nowlan Park in their last match.

Are the GAA really serious about this or is it just a box-ticking exercise? Is the mindset really governed by the thinking, ‘Yeah, ye have had yere day in the sun now with the Joe McDonagh, but ye have no real business up here now’. It certainly looks that way.

How could Darren Gleeson or Stephen Molumphy talk about these games at any stage in the year prior to this week? Both would be accused of taking their eye of the ball. But now when both can, they have just a handful of days to get ready for it. It all seems very disrespectful to me anyway.

Cork are Cork so I expect them to win. If it was the other way around and Wexford were travelling to Corrigan Park, I think an upset would be on the cards. Kerry will still have a rattle off them but it’s just so hard to make that step up when Kerry have been operating out of Division 2.

Both Cork and Wexford will need to be ruthless early on. Cork find themselves in Corrigan Park which is a venue Antrim are really comfortable in, especially having beaten Clare there in the league last year, along with almost having taken out Waterford there back in the spring. Antrim know the dimensions and how the field plays so they won’t stray too far from what has worked for them there before.

Mentally, the challenge is all the greater again for Kerry with the players having suffered a third successive Joe McDonagh final defeat last weekend. It will be hard for Molumphy to lift the group but it might not be as difficult as we think either if he pitches it right.

Kerry were arguing that they should go straight into Munster if they had won the Joe McDonagh, as opposed to being forced into a play-off. Well now they have an ideal opportunity to show that they are at that level, and are entitled to that right.

This is absolutely thankless stuff for Cork and Wexford. If they win by 20 points or shade it by one after extra-time, they’ll still get the same thanks – zero. This is just bottom line stuff. Get the job done. Get out of Dodge.

[Mickmack]

John Meyler: I would always have Kerry in the Munster Championship

Former Kingdom manager John Meyler believes a place in Munster hurling is the only way to maintain progress in the county
John Meyler: I would always have Kerry in the Munster Championship
Kerry's Niall Mulcahy and Keelan Molloy of Antrim during last weekend's Joe McDonagh Cup Final Picture: INPHO/Bryan Keane

SAT, 11 JUN, 2022 - 06:17
MICHAEL MOYNIHAN
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Few teams can get on the bus under the Hogan Stand having scored 4-24 in a national final. Kerry managed that last weekend in the Joe McDonagh Cup final, a fair tally even if Antrim managed 5-22 to win the game.

Is that a platform for progress? John Meyler’s managerial career has included stints in the Kingdom, at both club and county level - he was in charge when Kerry beat Waterford, famously, in the 1992 Munster hurling championship, and is currently manager of Kilmoyley.

Who better to evaluate the situation as both outsider and an insider?

“I would say it’s all on the basis of numbers. You have the eight senior clubs in north Kerry, and they’re all separated by a ditch.

“Moving out from Tralee you have Ardfert, then Kilmoyley, Ballyheigue, Crotta, Abbeydorney, Ballyduff and Lixnaw. There’s only a ditch between them - in real terms you’re starting with the senior hurling clubs from Ardfert out to Ballyduff, about 15 miles. That’s it.

“Elsewhere you’re talking about Tralee Parnells, but they’re still just junior. Even though they’ve done 15 years’ work, great work, you’re still talking about massive football clubs inside in Tralee - Austin Stacks, Kerins O’Rahilly’s, Na Gaeil, John Mitchels. So the fear is that when those kids who are hurling away now, when they get to 14 or 15 they’ll be told to go away playing minor football with their clubs.

“Then you have Kilgarvan and Kenmare, and Dr Crokes in Killarney, and that’s it.

“When it comes to the numbers game, that’s what Kerry have. So in comparison with Cork, Cork have seven divisions more hurling than Kerry, but you could also say that with what they have Kerry are achieving more on a percentage basis than some other counties.


“There are also a lot of fellas in Kerry who are capable of hurling for the county and who aren’t playing. There’s a senior hurling league final this week (Friday night), Crotta against Abbeydorney - that’s going ahead, but some of those fellas could be playing for Kerry against Wexford this weekend.”

The small number of clubs providing intercounty players has an impact on fixtures: “We - Kilmoyley - have played our county league fixtures without our county players.

“At one stage we had four on the senior panel and three on the U21 panel and we just had to play without them. You’re beaten by ten or 12 points in those league games, and you’re giving out, but that’s the reality of it.

“In Cork a senior club team might have one or two on the county team so they’ll field more or less a full team for a league game; with Kilmoyley at times we were missing eight or nine players for a league fixture, and with Kerry generally, with so few senior hurling teams, that’s something that’ll happen. That’s the point about the numbers game.”

What is the pathway to the next level, then? Entry to the big show - the Munster Championship itself?

“In terms of the Munster Championship I think it would balance the whole thing up to have six teams instead of five, and I would always be in favour of having Kerry in the Munster Championship,” says Meyler.

“We won the Christy Ring in 2011 and I wanted to go into the Munster Championship for 2012 but everyone said no. I think it’s a good measure of where you’re going - if you’re constantly beaten you can evaluate it and look at it, but you’ll never improve if you’re just playing at your own level.


“Look at the Munster Football Championship. Kerry beat Limerick by 20-odd points in the final this year, but nobody is saying Limerick shouldn’t compete in the provincial championship. I think Kerry should be in the Munster Championship but that they should be left there for two or three years to be allowed to develop.

“If they don’t develop, fair enough, then you can say it’s not working.”

That’s the key. The odd stand-out game such as the McDonagh Cup final is great entertainment but once-off performances aren’t the way forward, says Meyler.

“If you look at the Munster Championship the standard has gone up since the round-robin has come in.

“The last round of round-robin games weren’t great this year, admittedly, but the championship ended up producing one of the great Munster hurling finals last weekend. If Kerry were put into that championship - and if the resources they need to compete were provided - then I think that would raise standards.

“It’d be sink or swim to some extent, but it would also be a huge learning process for Kerry. You play a match one week against top opposition and then the following week you’re out again, so you say straight away, ‘what did we learn this week that we can bring into next week’s game?’

“I think players would respond to that challenge, and young players in particular - and there’s a lot of young players coming on stream in Kerry, young talent, but they won’t improve the way they should if you don’t push them to a higher level.

“(Kerry manager) Stephen Molumphy is the right man to have in place for that, he’s been involved coaching with Wexford and he has a good playing record himself from Waterford, so I think a lot of the ingredients are in place - but the team has to gain experience outside its own comfort zone.

“Players like Podge Boyle, Mikey Boyle, Fionan Mackessy, Eric Leen, Daniel Collins - they’re well able, they’d be on most county teams, but it’s difficult for them to progress. It’s not just Kerry either - teams like Antrim, Westmeath, Offaly, Laois, there are a few of them at the same level which need to push on. And like Kerry, a stretch of two or three years in the provincial championship to see if they can progress should be part of that.

“Progress is the key. I know we beat Waterford that time, but it’s 30 years ago and it was a once-off. Sustained progress is harder to achieve.”

[Mickmack]

This bit by John Meyler has to be a dig at Donal Og


“When it comes to the numbers game, that’s what Kerry have. So in comparison with Cork, Cork have seven divisions more hurling than Kerry, but you could also say that with what they have Kerry are achieving more on a percentage basis than some other counties.

[legendz]

We did ok to be only a point down after the first quarter. Left about 4 points behind us in the first half and had gifted a few scores to Wexford.
Wexford's quality came through in the second half. The one week turnaround a hindrance to Kerry, energy sapping. A test like today is better than 7 years of hurling at McDonagh level.
Antrim gave Cork a good game and that was with the benefit of Division 1 hurling.

[thepromisedland]

So we got to play summer hurling in near mid June, almost, got to the last 8th of the Championship, which is an achievement in itself, great crowd at the game. A lot of Wexfordians made the very long distance to Austin Pack Park, pitch was excellent. Referee was poor enough to both sides.
Still, the result was never in any doubt, very impressed by the slice roll passing by the Strawberry boys, the weight in their passing, they could turn it on big time if they wished, their overlapping runs, their marking and pace set delivery.
We did our best valiantly, terrific blocks and the odd hook, but the 7 day turnaround from playing a far superior physical Antrim last week, was way too much for a Division 2 side playing a team that had only beaten Kilkenny! We lost by 21 points! Only 1 point less than the heavy defeat of the league in March 2016, and that was a much stronger and better Kerry hurling team back then.
Harsh lessons in defeat today, our passing looked tired and we left Jordan too isolated up front, we were too light physically in the 50/ 50 tackles, we should have flooded their goal area, give them something to think about.
Still we did our best in a lot of ways, remember we're missing 12 of the panel from last year.
We need games like this, summer hurling against top opposition.
I keep reiterating it again, we need as an absolute priority, to get out of Division 2A and get to Division 1B, there'll big big defeats, but it's the only way it will bring us on, the experience at near top tier league hurling stands to nearly all teams. Look at Antrim today

[hurlingman]

While the result was never in doubt we made it very easy for Wexford. Far too slow on the ball and a lot of basics not done. When we brought it to a point in the first half a poor puck out lead to Wexford adding a few more scores to push ahead.

It's hard to know what to make of the season. Were involved in two of the games of the season but lost both. Losing to Down was also a disappointing result. Beating Tipp, granted in pre season, was a highlight imo. As many of the lads who weren't involved this year will be needed for next year.

[kerryexile5]

Wexford are a very good team.

Very physical and bags of pace and skill.

Atleast Molumphy and his players have seen elite level hurling up close and personal today, main aim for 2023 is get into division 1.

[wideball]

The last two weekends have been enjoyable supporting our hurlers. I felt that today was similar to the first half of the Antrim game in that the opposition found it easier to get scores. The difference in physicality was noticeable last week but very evident today. Wexford seemed to win more 50/50 ball, particularly when the contest was between our forwards and their backs.

I thought Fionan Mackessy was Kerry's standout player. His first half point was the type of highlight play the Sunday Game would fawn over if it had been a player from Limerick or Clare etc.

[Mickmack]

Possession means scores in hurling. Lose possession to their CHB and seconds later the ball in sailing over your own crossbar.

Kerry lost possession too easily at times and Wexford turned those into scores.

Kerry need more ball winners and more big strong men like Mackessy and Podge.

Shane Conway was well off form in recent weeks which is a pity. Against Antrim he fetched, turned and drove wide a chance that he would have buried if he was in his "UCC days" form.

That red card looked harsh for what looked an accident. Pity the Wexford stayed down long enough for the red card to be waived.

Hopefully a few more will enlist for the 2023 campaign.

To paraphrase that chap born in Ballydonoghue "Your county needs you".

[southward]

Surprised at the number of Wexford supporters that made the trip today. Disappointed that we weren't more competitive - I was hoping it would be a contest for most of it anyway. As others have said, the difference in physicality and speed was striking. Some of our lads look a bit on the light side for intercounty.

[southward]

The match today programme was a joint affair with the Antrim/Cork game even though they were being played at opposite ends of the country. Were the games not deemed worthy of a programme each? A fiver for it too, on top of €25 for the ticket, and feck all in it. Bit much.

[Ballyfireside]

Jun 11, 2022 17:32:50 GMT Mickmack said:

Possession means scores in hurling. Lose possession to their CHB and seconds later the ball in sailing over your own crossbar.

Kerry lost possession too easily at times and Wexford turned those into scores.

Kerry need more ball winners and more big strong men like Mackessy and Podge.

Shane Conway was well off form in recent weeks which is a pity. Against Antrim he fetched, turned and drove wide a chance that he would have buried if he was in his "UCC days" form.

That red card looked harsh for what looked an accident. Pity the Wexford stayed down long enough for the red card to be waived.

Hopefully a few more will enlist for the 2023 campaign.

To paraphrase that chap born in Ballydonoghue "Your county needs you".

Mayo's Cillain did the same but the ref played a blinder on it.

Fair play to our hurlers - ye made as much progress as the big ball laddos do when we win a Sam, and so hopefully lady luck will strike - she's doin a good job at avoiding ye this past while but her fuel will run out too.

Comhbhrón agus comhghairdeas on what was an amazing year and 'ye will do better the next day' as Kerry camogie stalwart Peggy Finnucane would say.

As Mick says, when your county needed you, you were there and seeing as we are moving borders maybe ye will realign 'de real border' as ye are at it, and include the next parish across the Ferry Bridge.

[ciarraimick]

Tough luck today with the hurlers but thank you for a great season

[legendz]

Jun 11, 2022 18:53:13 GMT southward said:

The match today programme was a joint affair with the Antrim/Cork game even though they were being played at opposite ends of the country. Were the games not deemed worthy of a programme each? A fiver for it too, on top of €25 for the ticket, and feck all in it. Bit much.

Agreed, a bit much. We've been spoilt for €10 games though. The average works out fairly well.
McDonagh counties facilitated the ring fencing of the provincial championships. This preliminary quarter-final was a compromise. Provincial runners-up are guaranteed a 2 week break. McDonagh finalists should be afforded the same respect. I accept it is a difficult one. Pairing the McDonagh final with the Leinster final is good for TV coverage. Many people witnessed Kerry's heroics in the McDonagh final and were well impressed.
The target next year has to be getting to Division 1. This group needs that level of hurling if they are to push on in the championship.

[Premier]

Is there players within the county who could bring this team to the next level? I think I remember someone listing an amount of players who could possibly be available to the team a while ago on here but I wouldn’t be as informed on the hurling scene so I would be keen to know more.

[moth]

First off - A big thank you to the Kerry hurlers and management for giving us a great year.

Yesterday was a tough day at the office for this team - the Wexford team looked bigger, stronger & fitter. This was partly due to the 7 day turn-around, but it was always going to be difficult given the number of big games these players have had in the past few weeks - Offaly, Antrim (in Antrim) & Antrim (at Croke Park) - all games that went to the wire, not giving the management a chance to rest to any players. We missed the option to have Flor McCarthy & Daniel Collins from Kilmoyley yesterday - they would have something to offer from the bench, but we missed even more the experienced players that have stepped away this year. For our puck outs, we went to Podge every time we went long. One of the O'Leary brothers would have been a huge asset to bring on.

Ref was very poor yesterday, but he wasn't in any way to blame for the defeat. Huge sympathy for Michael, who has been magnificent for Kerry this year. It was careless from him, I believe, rather than malicious. However, we really struggled with 14 men after the red card.

I believe that the management have always picked the best players available in their opinion. The problem is that in reality, we have used very few players in 7 matches over an 8 week period. I was hoping for a few fresh faces for yesterday's game, just to freshen it up after last week's defeat. Mikey Boyle is not young and missed the Down match due to suspension. Yet he was asked to play every minute of the other 6 games - that's over 420 minutes. Then Podge Boyle, Shane Conway, Louis Dee, Eric Leen, Michael Leane, Paudie O'Connor, Sean Weir, Fionan MacKessy, Colin Walsh, Colm Harty and Eoin Ross all had more game time than Mikey, with Gavin Dooley, Conor O'Keeffe, Jordan Conway, Maurice O'Connor & Niall Mulcahy not far behind. Along with Flor McCarthy & Daniel Collins, that only makes 19 players. Six others saw game time, but none saw 70 minutes and I doubt they amassed 140 minutes between them.
I had missed the team announcement during the week {it was accurately printed in the programme, so it must have been released before Saturday morning?), but if you were to select on the previous 6 matches, the only question was who was going to start instead of the injured Daniel Collins. I think they made the correct call in picking Jordan. Wexford were careful not to afford him the room that Antrim did last week.

I agree with the manager when he says that we should first win the McDonagh cup before looking to progress to the Liam McCarthy proper. We are playing teams at our own level. Next year will be even more difficult that this year, playing Laois, Offaly, Carlow, Down & Kildare.

Looking forward to the county championship, Kilmoyley will miss Flor & will be hoping to get Daniel Collins back from injury. The Boyle brothers were outstanding for Kerry & if they can take that form with them, I'd expect Ballyduff to triumph this year. Eric Leen & Fionan MacKessy were also brilliant for Kerry, so Brendan's might get one over their neighbours. Parnells have so many in the county setup, you'd hope that they can push on & win the intermediate and maybe even get a crack at the all Ireland Junior series.

[legendz]

The McDonagh final will be paired with the U20 hurling final in 2023. It should mean that the McDonagh finalists will have at least two weeks to prepare for the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals.

[Joxer]

I see a tweet just now from Tony Leen of the Irish Examoner. “So @munstergaa eventually agrees to permit Kerry directly into Munster SHC if they win the Joe McDonagh Cup in 2023. A motion will be sent to Congress to ratify same.”

The correcting of a very unfair (at best!) situation I think….

[ruralgaa]

Oct 11, 2022 7:41:47 GMT Joxer said:

I see a tweet just now from Tony Leen of the Irish Examoner. “So @munstergaa eventually agrees to permit Kerry directly into Munster SHC if they win the Joe McDonagh Cup in 2023. A motion will be sent to Congress to ratify same.”

The correcting of a very unfair (at best!) situation I think….

Agreed.

[kerryexile5]

Very welcoming news that Kerry can qualify straight to Munster by winning the Joe McDonagh.

The standard of the Joe McDonagh will be even higher in 2023 looking at the 6 teams.

Kerry
Laois
Offaly
Carlow
Down
Kildare

It’s a very hard competition to win.

I would be hoping that Donal O Sullivan Down from Kilgravan would join the Kerry hurling panel after East Kerry’s football exploits and also Barry Mahony (if he doesn’t get called in by Jack) after Feale Rangers.

Also Kerry under 20 footballer Robert Monahan from Kilmoyley looked a serious hurler in this years SHC.

Those three lads alone could be the difference in winning the Joe McDonagh in 2023.

[hurlingman]

Oct 12, 2022 6:06:47 GMT kerryexile5 said:

Very welcoming news that Kerry can qualify straight to Munster by winning the Joe McDonagh.

The standard of the Joe McDonagh will be even higher in 2023 looking at the 6 teams.

Kerry
Laois
Offaly
Carlow
Down
Kildare

It’s a very hard competition to win.

I would be hoping that Donal O Sullivan Down from Kilgravan would join the Kerry hurling panel after East Kerry’s football exploits and also Barry Mahony (if he doesn’t get called in by Jack) after Feale Rangers.

Also Kerry under 20 footballer Robert Monahan from Kilmoyley looked a serious hurler in this years SHC.

Those three lads alone could be the difference in winning the Joe McDonagh in 2023.

Do al O Sullivan and Barry Mahony would be a huge boost for the hurlers next season. However could see both being part of the football panel. Unless they're actually playing and not just on the training panel it'll be a big waste.

[Mickmack]

Kerry will need more big men around the middle third to deal with their own and the opposition puckouts. If you are beaten in that part of the game you have no chance. Podge Boyle was brilliant in 2022 in winning primary possession (ably assisted by Mikey Boyle and Fionan Mackessy) but a few more big men are needed and certainly Barry oMahony would be a huge asset. Also the oLeary brothers and Brandon Barrett. They are a good few around that could make a huge difference.

Cork, Tipp and Waterford couldnt complete in Munster in 2022 so the step up from winning a Joe McDonagh to playing in Munster would be very difficult. Whats best for Kerry and hurling in the long run is what matters and maybe over time it would work out.

[mossie]

Oct 12, 2022 10:29:43 GMT Mickmack said:

Kerry will need more big men around the middle third to deal with their own and the opposition puckouts. If you are beaten in that part of the game you have no chance. Podge Boyle was brilliant in 2022 in winning primary possession (ably assisted by Mikey Boyle and Fionan Mackessy) but a few more big men are needed and certainly Barry oMahony would be a huge asset. Also the oLeary brothers and Brandon Barrett. They are a good few around that could make a huge difference.

Cork, Tipp and Waterford couldnt complete in Munster in 2022 so the step up from winning a Joe McDonagh to playing in Munster would be very difficult. Whats best for Kerry and hurling in the long run is what matters and maybe over time it would work out.

you are spot on Mickmack re winning primary possession, Kerry need bigger men.


The 2 Boyles still have a contribution to make but are not getting any younger, also, Padraig was clearly carrying a knee injury in the closing stages of the county hurling championship

The O'Learys are big losses as ball winners as you say. I dont see them back in the Kerry fold, injuries are holding them back at club level so hard to see them back with Kerry.

Brandon Barrett returning would be great but he wont solve the issue you refer to.

One of the most impressive ball winners in the County senior hurling championship was Barry O'Sullivan (Dingle\Kilmoyley) but I cant see Barry having time to commit to the senior hurling team

It will be a diffult one for Stephen Molumphy to resolve

[mossie]

Oct 12, 2022 6:06:47 GMT kerryexile5 said:

Very welcoming news that Kerry can qualify straight to Munster by winning the Joe McDonagh.

The standard of the Joe McDonagh will be even higher in 2023 looking at the 6 teams.

Kerry
Laois
Offaly
Carlow
Down
Kildare

It’s a very hard competition to win.

I would be hoping that Donal O Sullivan Down from Kilgravan would join the Kerry hurling panel after East Kerry’s football exploits and also Barry Mahony (if he doesn’t get called in by Jack) after Feale Rangers.

Also Kerry under 20 footballer Robert Monahan from Kilmoyley looked a serious hurler in this years SHC.

Those three lads alone could be the difference in winning the Joe McDonagh in 2023.

The standard is going up, we will struggle to keep pace with it unless we have a full hand

The trio you mention would stengthen our hand no doubt but it is heading a direction that they will be immersed in football

[hurlingman]

Oct 12, 2022 23:14:23 GMT mossie said:

Oct 12, 2022 10:29:43 GMT Mickmack said:

Kerry will need more big men around the middle third to deal with their own and the opposition puckouts. If you are beaten in that part of the game you have no chance. Podge Boyle was brilliant in 2022 in winning primary possession (ably assisted by Mikey Boyle and Fionan Mackessy) but a few more big men are needed and certainly Barry oMahony would be a huge asset. Also the oLeary brothers and Brandon Barrett. They are a good few around that could make a huge difference.

Cork, Tipp and Waterford couldnt complete in Munster in 2022 so the step up from winning a Joe McDonagh to playing in Munster would be very difficult. Whats best for Kerry and hurling in the long run is what matters and maybe over time it would work out.

you are spot on Mickmack re winning primary possession, Kerry need bigger men.


The 2 Boyles still have a contribution to make but are not getting any younger, also, Padraig was clearly carrying a knee injury in the closing stages of the county hurling championship

The O'Learys are big losses as ball winners as you say. I dont see them back in the Kerry fold, injuries are holding them back at club level so hard to see them back with Kerry.

Brandon Barrett returning would be great but he wont solve the issue you refer to.

One of the most impressive ball winners in the County senior hurling championship was Barry O'Sullivan (Dingle\Kilmoyley) but I cant see Barry having time to commit to the senior hurling team

It will be a diffult one for Stephen Molumphy to resolve

Barry O Sullivan is a good call. But as you say would he be able to commit.

Kerry are definitely going to need to try and blood some new faces next year. Luke Crowley looks a good prospect. Could be worth having him at least part of the panel next year.

You'd wonder will Molumphy bring in anymore outside players. The fella this year weren't really anything to write home about imo.

[legendz]

Oct 11, 2022 7:41:47 GMT Joxer said:

I see a tweet just now from Tony Leen of the Irish Examoner. “So @munstergaa eventually agrees to permit Kerry directly into Munster SHC if they win the Joe McDonagh Cup in 2023. A motion will be sent to Congress to ratify same.”

The correcting of a very unfair (at best!) situation I think….

A positive development and long overdue, if it comes to pass.
A small change within the current format is to allow the McDonagh Cup winner to determine the province with 6 teams. Whoever finishes 6th in the 6 team championship would have to be relegated. The top 5 in all provinces then are treated the same. If Leinster is 5 teams for a year, they can enjoy a year with no relegation threat for a change.