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Goal hero Reid riled by ‘impact substitution’ moniker

TJ Reid admits he was angered by his billing as an impact substitution coming into yesterday’s game.

Scoring 2-3, the Ballyhale Shamrocks man gave a virtuoso performance having been recalled by Brian Cody on Friday evening.

After being dropped for the win over Limerick, Reid replaced the suspended Richie Hogan and gave his chances of starting next month’s All-Ireland final against Galway a massive boost.

Reid missed out on the team that began last year’s final win over Tipperary and was inspired by the dismissive ‘super sub’ moniker he has gained.

“I put that to the back of my mind. All week I have been hearing that and as a player you’d be pissed off hearing that. That’s why today I went out and tried to prove myself.”

Five years on the panel now, 24-year-old Reid felt he had to step up to the plate and become a leader for the team.

“I’m playing with the best hurlers in history probably — Henry Shefflin and Tommy Walsh. I’m not going to play with any better players.

“For myself, it’s a privilege but at the end of the day I can’t just be looking at them. I have to be a leader as well and I suppose today I got the job.

“But the next day I have to go out and work even harder.”

With Hogan available again for September 9, Reid appreciates the competition to stake a starting claim will be ferocious in training.

“Yeah, it’s going to be a serious test for places. That’s a good thing. At least you have someone up at the other end itching again and he’s driving you on as well.

“For Kilkenny, over the last few years we have players like that. That’s probably why we’re so successful.”

Having lost so convincingly to Galway in the Leinster final, Reid argues Kilkenny will have to raise their preparations another notch to retain their All-Ireland title.

“We just have to work our asses off in training. What you do in training is what you do on match day.

“We looked at Tipperary today and had a few tactics and we’ll be looking at Galway the same way.

“We’ve a lot of work to do for the All-Ireland final. It’s only an All-Ireland semi-final — there’s no cup there at the end of the day and against Galway (in the Leinster final) we got blown away in the hurling and physicality. We’ve the next three weeks to get it right and hopefully we will.”

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