No masterplan to deal with Déise as Cats blow hot and cold, says Cody

THERE is one certainty about the first of the Guinness All-Ireland hurling semi-finals in Croke Park next Sunday: Kilkenny and Waterford will play an orthodox game.

No surprise tactics, no strategy of withdrawing a forward to close out the opposing attack, as pursued by Clare in their two quarter-final games with the All-Ireland champions.

Amid all the natural concern about Henry Shefflin’s welfare, Brian Cody admits to being amused by media comments that Kilkenny also employed an extra man “at the back.” Actually, he said he was “amazed”.