Offaly Senior A Hurling Championship 2023

[greenairfield]

Came back into it really struggled in the first 30.
Mahon at full back was excellent

[SearingDrive]

Came back into it really struggled in the first 30.
Mahon at full back was excellent

Scoring just 0-3 in the first half wasn’t enough for KK. Much improved second period.

[Faithful Future]

The difference in standards of hurling in both counties was on show today.

O'Loughlins had the ability to work the ball through the lines with neat stick-work in testing heavy conditions while K/K simply couldn't get a foothold in the game. The Kilkenny outfit came out of scraps with the ball more often than not too which will disappoint KK. The ball into the inside line was not good and KK lacked a player on the half forward line who could carry the scoring threat.

While KK will undoubtedly get a few more cuts at Leinster club championship, the worrying thing is their lack of physicality all over. Mahon and Kilmartin are their only target men around midfield/half forward line and while both have been fantastic servants, they have a lot of milleage and may not have many years left playing at this level.

For KK, they probably wont have to get out of 3rd gear over the next few years to get out of Offaly. While a young team, they will have to work on their physicality and more importantly their ability to win 50/50 ball in the air. Tommy Walsh wasn't the biggest man but mastered this skill.

Next year you would expect Ter Guinan, James Mahon and the likes of Dylan Hand and the Kavanaghs to push on and stake permanent claims on the team so no doubt there will be lots of internal competition.

The real challlenge is for the rest of Offaly to up their standards to challenge KK who have had a good year overall getting back on top at senior, not to mention the majority of underage grades.

[bracknaghboy]

Best team won today no questioning that.
But K/K sideline were really poor.
In the first half it was becoming clear puckout options were limited so putting ball on top of Leigh Kavanagh made a bad situation worse, Kiely should have started or come in earlier.

The lack off physicality was massively on show.
Jimmy Gorman was edging the battle with the All Star fullback and they decided to take him off at a time when the game was there to be won. Wow what was that about? His ability in the air was badly needed. He clearly wasn't injured.

The Screeneys found it hard going today although little was done to try get Adam into the game. Ball needed to go down his channel. Geragthys should have come on earlier.
All this might not have been enough to win it but it would have increased their chance I'm my opinion.
Great crowd and atmosphere, nice to see so many from various clubs come out and support K/K. It felt more like Offaly v Kilkenny than a club match.

[uibhfhaili72]

Scoring just 0-3 in the first half wasn’t enough for KK. Much improved second period.
[/quote]

Totally agree I think they knew 3pts was never going to cut it , they’ll be disappointed with some of the mistakes in shot selection and shooting departments although OLG weren’t exactly razor sharp up front in that first half either.And K/K have to be commended for their 2nd half performance never throwing in the towel.

[private joker]

Two very contrasting styles, kk with no plan, just hit the ball up the field. OLG played the ball smart, to the man. Did Adam screeney hit the ball in open play? Not his fault as there seemed like no plan to give him the ball he needed. Kk mgt very poor and the lack of tactics with such a talented team leave a lot of questions to be answered. Kk 2nd half was very good but the damage was done in the 1st. OLG could really had a goal near the end of 1st half and it would have been curtains for sure at that stage.

[Doon Exile]

Two very contrasting styles, kk with no plan, just hit the ball up the field. OLG played the ball smart, to the man. Did Adam screeney hit the ball in open play? Not his fault as there seemed like no plan to give him the ball he needed. Kk mgt very poor and the lack of tactics with such a talented team leave a lot of questions to be answered. Kk 2nd half was very good but the damage was done in the 1st. OLG could really had a goal near the end of 1st half and it would have been curtains for sure at that stage.

Couldn’t disagree with any of that. Paddy Deegan was immense but KK made it easy for him at times.

[Fairplayalways]

I couldn't make OCP yesterday but watched full game earlir tonight firstly the best team won, OLGs had alot of wides too over the hour, many are not mentioning that..usual Kilkenny thing with 'luck' too though..I counted 4 scores they got where a handpass or hurled pass was blocked by a KK player and the ball miraculousy deflected straight into the hand ir path of an OLG player and low and behold scores were got as adirect result..another example was Charlie Mitchells wonderful effort that didn't go over and was gathered and sent down the field where OLG scored a point..I think Mitchell was tackled from behind near end of game when about to shoot for goal but he didnt go down or react so no possible free etc..Kilkenny teams i don't know how the axe always seems to fall in their favour when it matters..yes a good team but seeing these freakish workings out today at key times i said here we go again.. I didnt think Gorman was good personally..might have hurled well enough but did he score..full forward not scoring at all if thats the case us a niw typical Offaly thing but we all say 'he had a great game'....scores win matches at the end of tbe day..they will win Leinster but might run out of road there after...KK lost that game in last 20 mins of 1st half but as i say alot if 'breaks' fell the Kilkennys sides way too during that time and at in last 10 mins too..

[TerraceTalk]

Interesting to hear the criticism of KK management and the inability to adapt. I have thought the same previously but was wondering if I was overthinking it. As pointed out above, KK will be hot favourites in Offaly every year with this golden generation coming through and coupled with the lack of serious quality to challenge them consistently. That being said, whether they will be able to reach their full potential - winning Leinsters and competing for All-Irelands - is in doubt unless this management team can help them find another gear when the going gets tough. Voices become stale very very quick.
Ballygunner won’t be shaking in their boots at the prospect of playing OLG either.

[ah lethimoutwithit]

For me there was a horrendous amount of aimless balls hit on top of the OLG half back line and just behind them where Paddy Deegan positioned himself and when that failedd, more were hit!

Huge endeavour, but for me if thats what a management is telling the team to do then I give, this could not be the case. Shane Hand is smarter than that.

As was said, little ball went to Screeney and Jack S and James Gorman never got into it. Gerathys were decent when they came in.

KK will be disappointed but OLG missed a lot of chances also to kill the game off earlier.

[private joker]

Kk been playing the same way for 2 years. Difference was the opposition this time were equal talent wise. Ballygunner hammered kk in a recent challenge as did kilmacud crokes. They need a progressive coach which I think they now have. Recently brought in the the mgt set up.

[Bord na Mona man]

Glass half full. K-K will regret getting off to a bad start and will take comfort from how they regathered themselves to launch a fightback.

If they're ambitious enough, they'll want to bounce back next year and have another tilt at Leinster.
However, no one should assume they'll keep getting out of Offaly. The worst sporting predictions are the ones where people announce a team will dominate for years.

Tactically, it's hard to know. We've seen enough Offaly hurling teams with no method of play beyond driving it (remember to brand it as "fast, direct hurling" and you'll keep the purists happy).

Sometimes though, a team can go out intending to play a more sophisticated pattern and end up hitting bad balls away. Better teams close you down quicker, reducing decision times. Being under pressure means the next receiver has probably been too busy helping put out fires and hasn't taken up a good position.

It's something K-K will need to work on regardless. To compete against strong teams, you have to vary it - go long but keep possession, run it up the field, or spread it wide or diagonal. If their gameplan broke down last Saturday, then they can evaluate and learn.

[Hasselhoff]

any update on two kk teams playing senior A hurling or what is happening.

[Claffey]

any update on two kk teams playing senior A hurling or what is happening.

As expected, KK agreed at AGM to enter 1 Team in Senior A and 1 in Senior B in 2024.
Not sure if there are any rules covering what happens, but do Seir Kieran automatically stay up now?

[TerraceTalk]

My guess is as good as yours but I would imagine Seir Kieran staying up. The beaten second tier finalists should not be getting promoted in these circumstances in my opinion. That being said, Seir Kieran very lucky to get a stay of execution.
I think for the sake of fairness to all clubs involved, this decision should have been made at least a month ago. Makes it hard for clubs to plan for next season on the management side of things if they don’t even know what tier they will be playing in. The mass confusion and different interpretations of the rules over the last 8 weeks says a lot.