Tennyson may be Kilkenny’s key

KILKENNY’S chances of retaining their All-Ireland MHC title tomorrow may be dependant on the availability of full back John Tennyson.

The St Kierans’ Colleges star underwent an appendix operation a fortnight ago. Though he is hopeful of playing, the management will not make any decision until the last moment.

“He is one of five of last year’s winning team and would be an enormous loss to us if he fails to make it,” Kilkenny coach Brother Damien Brennan said. “One has to be very impressed with the Galway attack. Four of their six forwards scored in the semi-final game against Tipperary, and we will need John if we are to have any chance of stopping them. “Even with John, we’ll be up against it. We made very hard work of beating Cork in our semi-final, and could have lost it had they taken their early chances. We were almost totally reliant on Richie Power.

“He’ll have to make a bigger impact for us from play tomorrow, but he has the potential to be a match winner. Our defence is not going to hold the Galway forwards scoreless for the hour, that’s for sure, but if we can hold them to some degree I would give ourselves a chance.

“Hopefully the experience the six St Kierans’ players, John Tennyson, Donncha Cody, Dave Prendergast, Richie Power, Alan Healy and James Fitzpatrick, gained in winning the Colleges All-Ireland title, will stand to us.”

In Galway, coach Mattie Murphy who steered the county to two All-Ireland titles, in 1992 against Waterford, and 1994 against Cork, is quietly confident he can again taste All-Ireland Final glory.

“I make no secret of the fact that we have a good team and that Kilkenny will have to be at their very best to beat us”, said Murphy.

“People have been making a lot of our forwards and if all six hit form, then the title will be ours. However defensively there is a lot of tightening up to be done. We conceded 2-14 to Tipp in the semi-final and that would win many a match for you.

“It won’t come as any great surprise to me if we win ,” he said.

Murphy’s side includes five players who won All-Ireland medals this year at vocational level including the talented team captain Niall Healy.

The Galway forwards could be key figures in bringing the Irish Press Cup across the Shannon for the first time in three years.