Limerick vote for replay at Thurles

THE Limerick County Board last night voted to return to Thurles in a week’s time for their Munster under-21 hurling final replay against Tipperary — it means Tipperary owe Limerick two games at under-21 level.

Approaches are to be made to Croke Park to have the U-21 All-Ireland semi-final against Antrim put back a week to allow Limerick and Tipperary to play on Saturday or Sunday week, days which, according to Donal Fitzgibbon, would better suit supporters.

Meanwhile the Kilkenny players are keeping mum in the lead up to Sunday’s All-Ireland senior hurling semi-final against Tipperary.

Abrupt hang-ups, unreturned messages, ‘prefer not to now, to be honest’, when you make contact. It’s not an inability to express themselves, but they are surely the most reticent squad of players in the business.

“Sure, why would you be talking?” one team member said before the Leinster final. “What have we got, one All-Ireland?”

County chairman Ned Quinn doesn’t agree with that, but goes on to clarify what the player might have meant.

“There’s huge respect for hurling and hurlers in Kilkenny, always was, and All-Ireland winners especially. It’s just that there are so many of them it’s difficult for anyone to feel special. You only have an equal special status, if that doesn’t sound contradictory.

“Since Kilkenny won their first All-Ireland title in 1904 we’ve averaged a final every second year, won one every four, so that’s a lot of All-Ireland medallists. That’s why they see themselves and see what they’ve done as no big deal.

“In fact I’d reckon they’d probably be more interested in hearing what the journalist has to say than in saying anything themselves. That’s just the way they are.”

There is no ban, no gag order (in contrast to a certain team last weekend) and manager Brian Cody is a little flummoxed, unable to offer any precise explanation for their reluctance to talk during his tenure over the last four years.

But perhaps, inadvertently, and as Ned Quinn explains, Cody is part of the reason.

“Take Brian for example, captained St Kieran’s to an All-Ireland colleges title, then did the same for Kilkenny minors, was part of the Kilkenny U-21 side that won one of the greatest finals ever against Cork.

At senior level he won four All-Irelands, including one as captain again.

“Since he came in as manager he’s won four Leinster championships, the league and the championship. If ever there was a man who could afford to blow his own trumpet it’s Brian Cody. And yet, he also coaches his own school team, you’d find him in the school field almost any afternoon.

“An extremely modest man.”