Kilkenny homecoming: Cody sows seeds for next year’s season

Surveying the crowd of thousands last night in Nowlan Park at another victory celebration, Brian Cody was already planting the seeds for more All-Ireland homecomings in Kilkenny.

Once upon a time, he told the devoted, the players who earned a 36th title for the county on Sunday were standing in the crowd of supporters, cheering and watching as their heroes were winning in days gone by. “That gave them the drive and ambition and dream to get up on that stage themselves, to get to play with Kilkenny and be a part of something like this. It’s certain there are young children and teenagers in the stand tonight, you people have that same dream and same ambition and same determination to some day be up wearing the black and amber and hopefully be part of a team that brings back the Liam MacCarthy Cup.”

Sounding an ominous note for other hurling counties, he added: “The players behind me are leading the way now, it’s vitally important that what happens now continues to happen.”