Kilkenny's spirit remains intact

By Cian O’Connell

Nearly a decade on the Kilkenny panel, Richie Reid knows about standards and what constitutes success.

Four Leinster titles in a row have been gleaned in a quietly effective manner, but the Liam MacCarthy Cup is the piece of silverware the striped team crave.

A high level is always maintained in Kilkenny. “That is up to the management team that were consistently driving us on,” Reid says.

“We are delighted to get the four Leinsters, but our main aim - we haven't won an All-Ireland in a few years. For every player in the group that is our main goal - same for the rest of the teams left in the Championship.”

The seamless manner in which Derek Lyng has taken over from Brian Cody augurs well. Kilkenny’s spirit endures, perfectly illustrated by Cillian Buckley’s remarkable last gasp goal in the provincial decider against Galway.

“Brian had his way in there, that continued, the spirit in the team, the whole lot,” Reid responds when asked about the transition. “That came from Brian. Derek was part of it with Brian for a couple of years.

“When Derek came in there was a bit of freshness really and new ideas for the group. He brought in a new backroom with the lads - Michael Rice, Peter O'Donovan, Peter Barry, we had Conor Phelan there from last year. Then the strength and conditioning Mikey Comerford and Damien has been excellent this year.

“All of the players are feeding really well off them, there is a good buzz around the camp at the minute. We had the round robin games, we weren't happy with one or two of the games, we were playing for 20 minutes or a half an hour. In the Leinster Final we wanted to get a full performance, thankfully it worked out in the end.”

Buckley’s intervention was critical, inevitably sparking jubilant scenes at Croke Park. “It was special, especially for Cillian,” Reid says.

“He is one of the main leaders in our panel. As a player down through the years he has been unbelievable for us. In the last few years he has struggled with one or two injuries, but you could see the emotion that was on his face after he got the goal: the smile. He was absolutely buzzing and all of the players were absolutely delighted for him.”

Ballyhale Shamrocks stalwart Reid, who turned 30 in April, acknowledges the mix of established and emerging players in the Kilkenny ranks. “You have the older group of lads that have won all the way,” Reid says.

“You have TJ, Eoin Murphy, Wally, Padraig Walsh, Cillian Buckley - they are the main group. You have the likes of Paddy Deegan, Huw Lawlor, John Donnelly - all that age group.

“Then you have the U20s that won last year - Billy Drennan and a few that came into the group. You also have Eoin Cody, Adrian Mullen - brilliant players to have in the group. It is about driving it on from here on.”

Reid is hopeful that the stirring nature of the triumph over Galway can act as an inspiration for further Kilkenny triumphs. “Every player will take huge belief from that,” Reid remarks. “We always say to go to the final whistle, the boys did that, they really did.

“I thought in the last few seconds, down two points they could have dropped the hands and hurls to get ourselves ready for the quarter-final stage, but the boys went right to the end. In the last few seconds over in the corner there was Johnny Donnelly, TJ, Cian Kenny - they were out on their feet.

“Cian Kenny went down with cramp straight after the game in the celebrations. When that goal went in it was a real buzz.

“If we had lost the Leinster Final there would have been a lot of talk about Kilkenny, but after the win the excitement around meant really a lot to the players.

“Even the supporters back in Kilkenny were buzzing - just the way we won, the way we played.” It means Kilkenny, with Clare next on the agenda, head back to Croke Park heartened.