Nourished by rivals’ milk on the field of dreams

THE Cats will bid for the county’s third All-Ireland senior hurling title in a row on Sunday, nourished by milk from the family farms of two Cork players.

Dashing Timmy McCarthy and reliable Brian Murphy come from farm families who supply milk to Glanbia, the Kilkenny team sponsors, in the food group’s Castlelyons area.

But they are planning on delivering more than just milk to The Cats in the most eagerly awaited final for many years. Their aim, and that of their fellow Rebels, is to stop the black and amber from achieving their cherished three-in-a-row.

Kilkenny, however, will not be totally dependent on quality milk from east Cork to keep up their energies as they do battle with their great rivals for the cherished Liam McCarthy Cup.

For some of their players are also suppliers to Glanbia and will be out to prove that Kilkenny milk is as good and as refreshing as any from the Cork dairy holdings.

Noel Hickey, Richie Mullally, Walter Bourke and James (Cha) Fitzpatrick are all suppliers of milk to Glanbia.

Also on the Kilkenny panel are the brothers Conor and Brian Phelan, who are tillage and beef farmers in the Glanbia catchment area.

The farmer players on both sides have a lot of shared interest in milk, grain and beef prices, not to mention the new EU single farm payment. But there won’t be time for any of that talk in the Croke Park field of dreams as they do battle for hurling’s greatest prize.

Glanbia sponsorship manager Kieran O’Connor said the food group is proud of its links with hurling and the GAA through suppliers, employees, customers and shareholders.

Like all dairy farmers, the milk suppliers on the Cork and Kilkenny teams have had to keep a watchful eye on their production levels over the years to ensure they were never over quota and, therefore, subject to EU penalties.

But, on Sunday, the farmer hurlers and their respective teams need not worry about curbs on scoring goals and points. For they will have the freedom to boost their quota of scores to the highest possible tally.