Schools from four counties involved in successful second year hurling blitz

By Cian O'Connell

Developing players and affording game opportunities was the objective. So, Thursday's second year blitz in Kilkenny featuring schools from four counties proved to be another success story.

Nathan Culleton and Dean Bracken, who operate as Games Development Administrators in Kilkenny and Offaly have been collaborating.

Ultimately, it is providing a chance for schools ahead of Leinster schools competitions which will commence for that level early in 2026. "It started last year, Nathan Culleton, in Kilkenny, and myself, we ran a tournament between us," Bracken explains.

"I was looking for games for the Offaly schools, he sent down a few of the Kilkenny schools. Obviously, the likes of Kieran's first squad would be too strong, but CBS came down.

"We hosted it last year so they hosted it this year and it expanded a little bit. Good Counsel from Wexford came into it, Borris from Carlow, we'd three Offaly schools, and the Offaly combined team.

Kieran's were in it with a developmental panel, the CBS were there, and Scoileanna Chill Chainnigh, an amalgamation of some of the smaller schools in Kilkenny and Callan were there, too.

"At this time of the year it can be hard enough to get pitches so we split it over two venues. We'd five teams in each venue. So, in Dunmore you'd Borris, Scoileanna Chill Chainnigh, Callan, Birr, and Cistercian.

"While Cistercian Roscrea sounds Tipperary, the school is actually in Offaly and anything we're doing we include them in it. You'd always have seven or eight players from Offaly involved."

Buoyed up by the enthusiastic reception to the blitzes, Kilkenny GDA Nathan Culleton is eager to run more events. "The way we're set up in Leinster GAA, we've obviously full-time staff working within the different counties, but it is great to do cross-county collaborations and tournaments," Culleton says.

"It is something Dean and I piloted last year with first years. They hosted it in the Faithful Fields, and we thought that there was something in this in terms of providing additional games for young fellas, getting them playing against different opposition.

"The Offaly boys are delighted to be able to challenge and test themselves against the CBSs and Kieran's, it is certainly a win-win for everybody. We will be looking to do more of this stuff at this stages and different age groups."

It is an innovative idea and Bracken is delighted with the response from schools and players. "The whole premise of it was to get more hurling," Bracken says.

"From an Offaly point of view, we need to be hurling against players from these counties, as often as possible. We want to expose the players to a good level of hurling.

"On the Kilkenny side, Nathen was more than accommodating, he wanted more hurling for his schools too. It is hugely positive. It grew this year. Even that tournament last week, we see that as a warm up tournament, and we hope to do something else after Christmas."

Assisting schools in Offaly is part of Bracken's remit. Recently the progress made by Offaly minor and U20 outfits illustrates the potential. Being competitive in the schools arena is crucial also for long term sustainability. "Definitely, "Bracken responds.

"We've development squads, and this is a way to check to see how they're doing with their schools. A couple of lads will be brought into the squads in 2026 when we're back because they played well. It is good competition.

"In Offaly we've three schools in second year who're competitive enough on their own. So, we threw in a combined schools too. Across the four teams, you're getting to look at a good few lads. I think you'd 89 lads from Offaly on Thursday.

"Between U14 and U15, maybe 35-40 of them are on squads so you're getting to look at another 40 players, who're not currently in the system."

Throughout the decades, Kilkenny have been ready, willing, and able to help others. That is key according to Culleton. "For us, in Kilkenny, we're obviously a hurling stronghold, and there is an onus and a duty here to be able to support every county, particularly the ones we're working alongside in Leinster," Culleton says.

"I don't see myself as only working for Kilkenny GAA, although I'm based here, but we're full-time staff for Leinster. So, anything we can do to promote the game in other counties and ultimately get young fellas seeing different jerseys and schools, and getting games. That is definitely beneficial."

Bracken is optimistic that this crop of Offaly hurlers can flourish. "With the second year group we're talking about, Coláiste Choilm won their first ever A title last year," Bracken says. "It was an A Shield, but they beat Kilkenny CBS in the final, and they were delighted with that.

"The tournament we ran last year, it was on a month or so before they went into competition. They reckon it crowned them, that they were able to find their team in it. So, that was a huge positive."

The approach is to ensure first and second year players are given further chances. "We'd be targeting first years and second years," Bracken remarks.

"It is a bit harder when you get into third year because the Junior Hurling competitions in Leinster, they're already on now. Some third years actually miss out because some of the fifth years or TYs born in the second half of the year are eligible for the Junior. You go from second year into an U16.5 competition.

"At this time of the year you can't do anything because they're all involved in that. It is something we will look at in the New Year, is there a shortfall of fixtures? We might run something around the third years, but we've to wait until then to see if the schools want it."

Another blitz is expected to follow after Christmas. "All the Leinster Hurling competitions are starting some time in February," Bracken adds.

"Nathen and myself are talking about doing something at the end of January if everything aligns, similar to what we had last Thursday, but maybe tiering it a bit more. We had 10, so if we increased it to 12 and maybe run three groups of four or two groups of six, just to give them loads of hurling.

"The schools in Offaly have got back to me since last Thursday, and they were delighted with what went on. They're eager for something else as preparation for the Leinster competitions.

"What we've noticed is the players love these types of tournaments. Kilkenny are at a different level to Offaly in most grades, but from our perspective, we want to get them used to hurling against Kilkenny lads early.

"They're doing that now. Then, they're coming back into training, and they know what they've to work on. So, it has been very positive so far for us."

Being exposed to other styles of play and teams is an aspect Culleton acknowledges too. "There is competitions within the school system and the clubs and counties where young fellas are generally coming up against the same lads all of the time," Culleton says.

"Maybe in Kilkenny there is a certain style of hurling. For their holistic development as players, it is good to come up against different counties, there might be a different playing style or brand of hurling going on.

"That poses a challenge to the players taking part in these additional games. You might come up against a player or a team, that are trying something different. That might be the philosophy within that county.

"It is a different challenge, but it all ends being hugely beneficial to their development."