A glorious 29th for Kilkenny

ONE word best explains it: pride. It was what made underdogs Kilkenny such a driven team going into yesterday’s excellent Guinness All-Ireland hurling final in Croke Park and ultimately inspired a memorable victory.

And what was arguably Brian Cody’s greatest achievement as a manager was embellished by the captaincy of Jackie Tyrell — the first James Stephens man to lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup since Cody himself enjoyed the distinction 24 years ago.

Cork were devastated, their dreams of the three-in-a-row in tatters at the end of a match they never looked likely to win, the disappointment all the greater for the 11 players who participated in the last four finals as well as a dedicated management team headed by John Allen. But, as was very much the case with Kilkenny when they had their treble ambitions shattered by the Rebels two years ago, they could have no excuses.