Cody: Cork can ‘crush’ teams

AMID all the talk of three All-Irelands in a row, it’s easy to forget that, not so long ago, Kilkenny hurlers were staring down the barrel of a third consecutive defeat in the Guinness All-Ireland hurling championship.

That was the challenge faced by Brian Cody and six of the players starting against Cork tomorrow in Croke Park when they faced up to Offaly in the 2000 decider.

Offaly shocked them in '98 and 12 months later they lost to Cork, Cody's first year in charge. One year later they were champions and then after going out to Offaly in the 2001 semi-final, they had to start all over again.