Pat Spillane Calls Out Unfair Advantage Given To Kilkenny Footballers
While 2025 would prove to be an ultimately disappointing year for the Kilkenny hurlers, there were some signs of improvement for the county in another code.
The Kilkenny footballers would reach the semi-finals of the All-Ireland Junior Championship, eventually losing out to London. The team featured at least one familiar team, with former hurling All-Star Walter Walsh making an appearance.
Kilkenny hurling great Walter Walsh was in action this evening for the Cats' footballers as they played London in the All-Ireland junior semifinal in Abbotstown.
Wally - wearing the patented high socks - scored two points from play but London were victorious 1-17 to 0-17 - and… pic.twitter.com/RP8DOL2ix3
— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) July 11, 2025
Of course, Gaelic football is very much down on the list of priorities when it comes to GAA in Kilkenny.
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Pat Spillane Calls Out Advantage Given To Kilkenny FootballersKilkenny are the only county in Ireland that do not enter a Gaelic football team in the National League or provincial championships. They have not played in a Leinster Championship fixture since 1982, with their league league appearance coming in 2012.
While they have performed to a decent level in the Junior grade, there has been no suggestion that they may make a return to senior inter-county level in the near future.
Writing in the Sunday World, Pat Spillane stated his belief that Kilkenny have been given a pass by allowing them to skip the league each season, something that is unfair to other counties operating at junior level.
OK, [Kilkenny] didn’t reach the final, London beat them in the semi-final.
But I have to qualify that. Kilkenny are the only county in Ireland that do not enter a team in the National Football League. I watched them play on Friday night against London and there are some damn good footballers there.
Yet despite not taking part in the league, they’ve a ticket into this junior championship. And every couple of years they win one match and they get an opportunity which many weaker counties don’t get, of playing in a final in Croke Park. That’s wrong.
It’s time for Kilkenny to get off their backside and enter a team in the National Football League.
It is certainly unfair to the many Gaelic football enthusiasts within Kilkenny that they do not have the opportunity to play at the highest level.
However, it remains unclear if the appetite is there to get the county back onto that stage.
SEE ALSO: Donal Óg Had Some Harsh Realities For Cork Hurlers After Disastrous Loss
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