Cats’ fans set to rally after flagging support

CATS still licking their wounds since last year’s crushing All-Ireland defeat aren’t banking on bringing home the cream this year either.

That loss, coupled with the fact that it is Kilkenny’s sixth All-Ireland semi-final on the trot, has left fans feeling like they are just going through the motions again.

Even with greats like DJ Carey back in the black and amber jersey, fans have yet to rally in force behind the Noresiders.

Just two flags were to be seen on High Street, Kilkenny’s main shopping strip yesterday. One was wound around a pole outside Holland’s bar, the second draped across the front window of the permanent tsb office. The most loyal fans seem to be those in areas straddling the Tipperary border.

Street trader Michael Devoy was not a happy man. He’d spent weeks running up hundreds of flags of all sizes and winding together headbands in black and amber. “I’m going to be going back home with a boot-full at this rate,” he said yesterday as business failed to pick up just by the Butter Slip.

“It’s been the slowest build-up I can ever remember,” he said.

Supporters are expected to make a late rally today though.

Supporters Club chairman Frank Morrissey and other club members will man a van selling hats, flags, headbands, rugby and T-shirts as well as jerseys in the city today.

“It’s never been so quiet in the build-up to a game. A bit of it is out of respect for Tipperary. We’re taking absolutely nothing for granted. I was trying to work out what was wrong with our supporters. I think six semi-finals and three finals have taken their toll.

“We’re hoping that there will be late demand for supporters gear. The demand for tickets has picked up in the past few days. We’re hoping to have in or around 20,000 fans at the match. All the trains up are full,” he said.

Local newspaper reports suggest that in the region of 3,500 tickets were returned by Kilkenny to the Leinster Council ahead of Sunday’s semi-final.

And the headline on the front of the sports section of the Kilkenny People says it all

‘Fans, oh where art thou?’ is the question in big, bold print.