Cody’s talk of battles doesn’t wash anymore

REASONS to be cheerful in Croke Park yesterday.

1. The sun shone.

2. There was no queue for the toilets.

3. … erm, we’re struggling already, aren’t we?

There was a temptation to add Wexford’s stirring first-half performance to the list but, on reflection, that only paints a more depressing picture.

Two points up at half-time, Kilkenny went on to score 4-13 after the break. Wexford, on the other hand, were kept waiting for 22 minutes for their first score from play. John Meyler said it best when he compared it to being hit by a train.

Four years after Michael Jacob’s late stinger, Kilkenny are still exacting revenge and it was no surprise to hear that 2004 was bandied about liberally in the dressing room during the break.

“The scoreboard only matters at full-time,” said Brian Cody. “We were ahead by two points and there was a sense that we were behind and struggling. The general perception was that this was going to be an easy game for Kilkenny.

“That was never my sense or my perception. I have said that consistently. It was as tough a battle as we would get from any team in the country for the whole first half. That is exactly what we expected and exactly what we got from Offaly as well.”

“Okay, we won convincingly on the scoreboard at the end but, if we went in at half-time two points ahead of any of the other top teams in the country, people wouldn’t be saying ‘what is the problem?’”

The problem, Brian, is that ye beat Offaly by 18 points, Wexford by 19. It isn’t Kilkenny’s fault that they are too good for the rest of the province, but all this talk of ‘battles’ and the like just doesn’t wash anymore. Let’s not lose sight of the pearls amid the wreckage either. Eddie Brennan’s second goal might well prove to be the goal of the season, but his first was the score that knocked the wind right out of Wexford.

Diarmuid Lyng had just brought the gap back to two points with his exquisite sideline cut only to see Brennan squeeze the sliotar into the sack despite the close attentions of four defenders and Damien Fitzhenry within seconds. “I had no idea how Eddie got his first goal until I glanced up at the big screen,” said Cody. “It was a superb goal, a superb individual goal. To finish to the net from such a tight position was just an outstanding piece of skill.”

Lucky as we were to witness such brilliance, it was hard not to think that we should have been watching Brennan and his colleagues work their magic in Nowlan Park or Wexford Park.

Only 18,855 souls braved the inevitable in Croke Park yesterday and it is hard to see the 2009 Leinster final played at the same venue.

They will be back again in five weeks. Five. No quarter-final this time and, no doubt, much will be made of their mid-summer hibernation between now and then. Not that Cody seems all that bothered about it.

“I remember back in 2002 and 2003 we often waited six weeks for an All-Ireland semi-final so it’s not something that is new. The players will go back to their clubs next weekend and that is good for them.

“We will look forward to the All-Ireland semi-final after that and I would have no problem waiting ten weeks for an All-Ireland semi-final because that is where we want to be.”