Kilkenny confirmed as gone

[Spoons]

SP Fingal will do a helluva lot better than some more established clubs if they have signed some of the players rumoured to have put pen to paper...

[Sheridan]

Placid Casual - sod off.

I'm very sorry to see KK go as they fought the unequal struggle nobly for many years, but I don't quite get the hand-wringing and especially the favourable comparisons to Sporting Fingal (about whom we know next to nothing as yet.) If anything it just exposes the embarrassingly symbiotic relationship between alcohol and Irish sport; all KK had going for it, ultimately, was that it was a good place for a p1ss-up (which pleased Dubliners) and it wasn't in Dublin (which pleased culchies.)

It just goes to show that the regional franchise model espoused by practically everyone here is as flawed as any other; there was palpably, beyond any hint of ambiguity, no interest in senior football in Kilkenny, to the extent that it couldn't sustain a team at the barest subsistence level, even with the minimum of ambition and expenditure.

Hopefully a few seasons in the A League (whether that includes the forthcoming season or not) will rejuvenate the club. Ironically, they might be in a better position to harvest local junior talent at that level, which might stand to them if they return to the league.

[monutdfc]

absolute shame, just shows the work rhatigan did, kept them goin for years when the wolf was at the door, then the year he has to give up they fold
next question what happens the ground, prime land will be kept or sold?

Delaney will look after the ground (he doesn;t seem too concerned about the Club mind):

"There's a question mark over Kilkenny and I've spoken to Jim about that. Whatever happens there, we have to make sure that the ground is there for Irish football and we'd be looking to develop that with him."

link

[ramsfan]

good news about ground, hopefully it wont be looked after by the fai like they looked after bishopstown.

[OneRedArmy]

It somewhat worrying that the smaller clubs that have invested in infrastructure and facilities seem to be the ones having financial issues, eg Kilkenny, Athlone and even Longford.

[Raheny Red]

SP Fingal will do a helluva lot better than some more established clubs if they have signed some of the players rumoured to have put pen to paper...

Agreed. Hopefully there's betting put up for the first division soon

[oldyouth]

It's a shame that KK find themselves in this position. We had great craic there last year and we could have started a real 'local derby' thing in time.

[ramsfan]

pity alright would have bben good for south east football to have waterford, kilkenny and wexford in same league for a year would have created a buzz at derby time

[L37Ultra]

Just what the League needs, another Dublin team

[amjl]

Truely a dark day for the club & for the few supporters who did care about it.

The A Championship is not even looking like a possiblity this season now to make things even worse. Hopefully we can rise from the ashes & come back even stronger.

I really feel for Jimmy tho, with the amount of work he's put in over the past 4 decades, he must be absolutely gutted by this.

[higgins]

Can anybody post up the reasons as to why Kilkenny had to drop out of the First Division ?

[Magicme]

Sad to see it go down this route. Wont really miss the trip to Kilkenny though and Dublin is much handier for us but will miss having a team we were always battlling with.

[rambler14]

What a shame.
Ramblers fans always enjoyed their trips to Buckley Park. Our abiding memory will be of our last visit to Kilkenny. A thouroughly professional 7-0 win.
I spoke to Jim Rhatigan that day and you could see he loved his football. I feel sorry for him more than the fans. He knew GAA was always gonna be number 1 in Kilkenny and I think the lack of support finally caught up with them today. RIP KILKENNY SOCCER.

[Hitman]

Truely a dark day for the club & for the few supporters who did care about it.

The A Championship is not even looking like a possiblity this season now to make things even worse. Hopefully we can rise from the ashes & come back even stronger.

I really feel for Jimmy tho, with the amount of work he's put in over the past 4 decades, he must be absolutely gutted by this.

Commiserations. Has there been any sort of reaction to the news outside the fanbase, or has the club slipped away to the same level of apathy as it seems to have drawn from most of Kilkenny while it was there?

[Ash]

Sad to see Kilkenny gone ... Buckley Park was always
our favourite away trip when we had the SC.
Even if we kept missing the turn up to the ground every time
we went there!!!!

We'll miss that turn in another way now!

[centre mid]

not a shock but still a sad day for kilkenny and the league.

[osarusan]

A shame to see them gone, I watched Limerick FC win there a couple of times, it was a friendly place. Just not enough people there.

[Bunny Kelly]

I think the best hope for Kilkenny is they maintain the U-20 team & hopefully set up better links to local players & the Junior league, it's only through working with the Junior Teams they can have any success in the future & possibly bounce back.

[Tenderloins]

An awful shame to see Kilkenny (or any other team) go.
Must leave an dreadful hole in many peoples lives.

[sligoman]

Must leave an dreadful hole in many peoples lives.

That's the problem, it won't. If more people cared about KC then this wouldn't have happened. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough support for them.