Kilkenny changing captaincy tradition
It is not the first time that a sub captained a winning Kilkenny team – I had the privilege of presenting the NHL Division One title to Charlie Carter in 2003 after he too had started on the bench.
Both came on during their respective finals and I recall Charlie, in particular, playing very well.
Now if either Michael or Charlie hadn’t come on would they still have walked up the steps to collect the trophy?
This question occupied my mind, particularly, after Michael Fennelly collected Liam MacCarthy this year.
So at this year’s All Stars I asked a man who was bound to know – Kilkenny secretary Ned Quinn. He said that Michael Fennelly was always going to collect the cup if Kilkenny won regardless of whether he played or not.
This is not the way in most counties or clubs and most definitely not the way in Kerry.
If you are not on the starting 15, you don’t get to captain the team. Many a row has developed over captains being dropped or taken off. Mike Hassett was injured during the 1997 campaign and didn’t make it back on the team for the final. Instead his brother Liam captained the side to All-Ireland glory.
If Darran O’Sullivan hadn’t made the team this year someone else from the county champions, Mid Kerry would have captained the side. I have a feeling that Kilkenny, not for the first time, are pioneering something that may catch on in the GAA generally. Other sports, like golf, have had non-playing captains. Can we see a similar trend gradually taking root in the GAA? Another development I have noticed especially at under age level is joint captains. I have noticed it more frequently in recent times and at under age which is a welcome development.
Thanks to Kilkenny, the old tradition that you had one captain and that he started the final, went up for the toss and collected the cup may be about to change radically.
