No doubts now over Shefflin the ‘predator’
Apart from the fact that both those two were playing outstanding hurling in their wing positions, this statement seemed a little premature, given that Eamonn Kennedy won an Allstar that year in the number six slot, and John Power should have won another on the other side of midfield but was denied only by the inconsistencies of that selection process.
Two years on, Kilkenny in another All-Ireland final, and the sense in that claim is now obvious. The demotion of both Kennedy and Power caused many a raised eyebrow in Kilkenny, Power especially. But there can be no denying their replacements have done the business in their new positions.
There was never much doubt that Barry, a hugely intelligent reader of the game, would slot seamlessly into the centre, and he has. His size, reach and strength allows him to pluck a succession of balls from the sky, his covering is excellent, distribution spot-on.
But Shefflin? There were fears that the mild-mannered youngster from little Ballyhale wouldn't have what it takes to lead the attack. Groundless, as it transpires. From the time he was first given the responsibility at No 11, Shefflin has been in inspired and inspiring form.
Ironically, that first start in the middle came against Clare in the league. "When I was growing up, I always played at centre-forward. In a small club, if you have a bit of size at all, that's where you end up. For Kilkenny, however, I've played corner-forward, wing-forward, full-forward. But I was as shocked as anyone when I was named in the centre against Clare. I was home from college and one of my team-mates, Alan Geoghegan, came home from training and told me. I knew nothing about it 'til then."
Henry took to it like a duck to water, and as Kilkenny stormed to a 3-14 to 1-12 win, helped himself to six points off no less a luminary than Seanie McMahon. This weekend, they meet again, so, is Henry looking forward to that?
"No, not at all, it was probably the worst thing I could have ever done!" he laughs. "Ah no, I got a few breaks that day, but every day is different. Seanie McMahon is an absolutely brilliant centre-back, certainly one of the best I've seen, up there with Pat O'Neill. He's a marvellous player, so just breaking 50-50 with him, that would do me."
That's what Henry says, that's probably not what Henry intends. He's not a conventional centre-forward, certainly not in the mould of the great John Power, the man whose slot he has claimed. Where Power was a pneumatic drill, a breaker of ball, centre-backs and opposition hearts, occasionally chipping in with a vital score, Shefflin is a predator, a deadly finisher whose giant frame belies a soft touch, sharp swing, unerring accuracy.
A bit like his counterpart on the Clare team, Tony Griffin, a youngster who also figures prominently on the score sheet, Shefflin will present a different kind of challenge to McMahon than the norm.
"As a lot of commentators have noted, I'm not really the creative kind of centre-forward, more picking off the breaks. John Hoyne, beside me all year, is playing more like a centre-forward, brilliant man under the dropping ball. I get onto John sometimes, 'put the ball over the bar yourself', because he's well able to do it. But he seems to look for us every time. He's been brilliant, as has Brian McEvoy.
"But Brian Cody has been on to us, all three of us win that ball from the puck-outs and that's what we're trying to do. We try and work it in inside, you're not going to score six or seven points now in Croke Park, the field is gone too big. Work it into the boys inside, then try and pick up the breaks coming back".
Growing up, there was never much doubt about the direction the young Shefflin was going to take. From 1978 to 1991, never having won a title before, Ballyhale Shamrocks won nine of the 15 Kilkenny senior championships on offer, going on to capture three All-Ireland titles. Back-boning that side were the famous Fennelly brothers, six initially, joined later by a seventh, and they were to prove an inspiration to the fledgling centre-forward.
"Absolutely, when I was growing up, they were just starting to win their All-Irelands, club titles, club All-Irelands. I remember the buses going from the local pubs, we had a pub in Ballyhale ourselves, seven buses going from the street, not a sinner left in the place.
"That was a huge influence, everyone played the hurling back then, it was the big thing. We had great role models in all the Fennellys, but I had two brothers on the panel as well, Tommy and John. They were a brilliant club side. I used to go down training, pucking the ball back to them. What they practiced in training they did in matches, fabulous to watch.
"But they're a fabulous family. They all influenced me in different ways, Kevin was our trainer for a while, Ger was kind of our hero there, absolutely marvellous for the club, but they all were. Dermot didn't get the recognition from the county, but he was a great hurler, Michael as well.
"There was a bit of a lull after that great team, fellas who hadn't made that team went missing, so we went down intermediate for a couple of years. We're in the quarter-final of the county championship now again, going okay. Young team, won a couple of underage titles, hopefully we can keep it going now."
Probably the one thing above all others he learned from the Fennellys was work ethic. Skill is fine, and he has buckets of it, but without application, useless. That's a lesson Henry will bring to this game especially, because if you're not working, no better team in the land to blow you off the field than Clare.
"Some days it won't happen for you, some days it will. If the ball is running for you in any position, you're going to have a good day, but if it's not, that's the day you have to put the shoulder to the wheel, work hard, try and make the breaks for yourself."
Could be talking about Sunday.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
