Exit Interview - Kilkenny.

Exit Interview - Kilkenny.

2013 at a glance:

Argueably Kilkenny's worst year in a generation. A modest league campaign saw the Cats reach the final in an un-convincing fashion. Once there however, the sight of the Tipperary jerseys seemed to galvanise Kilkenny, who administered a solid beating to their old rivals and things looked rosy enough.
This triumph was effected without a phalanx of tried and trusted warriors and the portents looked good.

The championship opened for them in O'Connor Park in Tullamore and it was here that the first chinks in the armour began to reveal themselves. Offaly scored 4 (yes, four goals) and had them on the back foot for long spells. A raft of points (26 in all) saw them scramble home by 5 points, but without raising a green flag.
Dublin were next up in O'Moore Park, outplayed them for long spells and shouldn't have been forced to repeat the exercise.
The replay saw Dublin finish the business nore comprehensively than the scoreline (1-16 to 0-16) indicates.

The qualifiers, the poor mans route, now beckoned. On the plus side, Shefflin, Tyrrell, Rice, Reid and Fennelly were all now deemed fit for selection and Limerick had disposed of Cork. It all came unstuck that day in Thurles. Shefflin was dismissed before half-time and despite heroics from Hogan, Walsh and Tyrrell, Cork's young, eager warriors saw Kilkenny relinquish their crown on a scoreline of 0-19 to 0-14. It was the first year since 1941 that they hadn't a c'ship match in Croke Park.

Positives:

Scarce enough, truth be told. Richie Hogan has become the "go-to" man. He's an able battler, game as a pebble, accurate and tough beyond his physique. Kieran Joyce was probably their best all-round player all year and has matured into a fine defender, great under the high ball and a good distributor. Eoin Murphy is an improving keeper, despite shipping 4 against Offaly. Game time will have improved the likes of Lester Ryan, Ger Alyward and Matthew Ruth.  A spell out of the limelight will do them no harm at all.

Negatives:

Four c'ship games has yielded a solitary goal (V Dublin, drawn match). Irrespective whether they had a full complement or not (Shefflin aside) their inside men seem to lack the killer instinct of Carey or Brennan. This can be attributed to i): supply or ii): craft/skill. An illness to Brian Cody may have disrupted early season preperations but Kilkenny would pour scorn on that suggestion. In a nutshell, the replacements weren't of the quality of those they were replacing which is fair enough. They've been on the road a long time, keen and all as they are for success, but neither time nor tide wait for any man.

The future:

Ponderable in fairness. The pack are closing, well some of them at least. Kilkenny, while sublime artists at their peak, are of the traditional style in preperation and execution. Managers are now using every tool available in preperation, seeking weakness/strengths in opposition. Brian Cody's decision will be critical to their future, as will his approach to 2014 if continuing. The conveyor-belt may not be as greased as we have been led to believe, Dublin/Galway will pose problems in Leinster and that's before facing Munster rivals.

But Kilkenny are doughty battlers, the black and amber is a badge of honour and treated as such.
Expect to see them in 2014.