Kilkenny must win to prove their ‘greatness’, says Healy

ONCE again, Diarmuid Healy is helping to spread the hurling gospel outside his native county.

The man who preceded Ollie Walsh as Kilkenny manager and opted out when prevented from having a say in the choice of selectors is now Director of Hurling in Dublin.

He's learning first-hand about the problems associated with promoting the game in the capital city and it's clear he faces a much greater challenge than when he first became involved with Offaly in 1979.

Two years later, he helped deliver a first ever All-Ireland title to the Faithful the same year they lost to a Donal O'Grady-captained Cork in the League final. Returning to the present, he feels Kilkenny meeting Cork in this final gives them a special incentive. "They're talked of as a great team, but, if they lose they'll go down as failures. Looking back in years to come, people will be quick to remind them they didn't beat Cork in a final!"

While Kilkenny have dominated Leinster in recent times, Healy feels the gap between them and the other counties isn't as big as imagined.

"A lot needs to be looked at with regards to what the other counties are doing. Most of them have development squads, but that depends on how much time is being put into them. Kilkenny have the distinct advantage of being a hurling-only county and that's a big factor.

"There's also huge things being done in the schools, which is helping to keep standards very high."

Healy began his latest appointment in May and his work to date has been mainly confined to visiting clubs and once he has assessed the overall situation preparing a report for the County Board. Though encouraged by a 'huge enthusiasm' for the game in the capital, he recognizes the promotion of hurling suffers because of the time and effort devoted to football. Another concern is the concentration on physical training, to the detriment of the skills.

Changing that philosophy will take time, but will have to be done. Specifically, he will be recommending isolated physical training for players up to the age of 16 should be banned. It's the wrong approach to team preparation."

He says he wasn't surprised to see Cork make such advances this year after the player revolt at the end of last year, mainly due to the efforts of Donal O'Grady.

"He's a shrewd guy. I noticed against Wexford the last day he spent a lot of time down around the full-back line. I felt he was clued in, thinking of ways and means to improve the line.

"Kilkenny have not been really tested; the way they were by Tipperary in last year's semi-final. That was one of the best matches I have ever seen and it went down to the wire. Can Kilkenny do it again is the question.

"Certainly the second half performance the last day against Tipperary was something else. They really got dug in. but Tipp seemed to give up as well. There was no fight in them.

"Brian Cody has managed to keep this team going by introducing new players. When they first come on the team they're not looking over their shoulder. They know with him if they are performing they will be left there, so they have confidence.

"Without that approach, they would hardly have won the last six Leinster titles."