Cha: easy run may haunt Cats

CHA FITZPATRICK admits the lack of a serious test in Leinster is a worry for Kilkenny ahead of their All-Ireland semi-final next month.

Brian Cody’s side have sauntered through Leinster with their customary ease, accounting for Offaly by 19 points and Wexford by 18 points in the process of securing the Bob O’Keeffe Cup for a fourth straight year.

The Leinster champions have relied heavily on the last eight to sharpen their swords in recent years with Galway, Limerick and Clare all providing stern tests after unchallenging provincial campaigns.

Admitted Fitzpatrick: “That is a worrying factor. You are not going to win an All-Ireland final unless you have played a match where you have come from behind to win a match. We haven’t had that yet.

“We have had it easy in the second halves. It would be better for us if we had a tougher challenge over 70 minutes. It could be a disadvantage to us in the long run. Hopefully not, but there is nothing we can do about that.”

Not all the Kilkenny panel share Ned Quinn’s desire to see Antrim and Galway merged into a new and improved Leinster championship. Eoin Larkin, for one, spoke out against the idea on Sunday.

Fitzpatrick is all for it, however, and he is equally open to the possibility of severing the traditional link between the provincial decider and Croke Park until Kilkenny’s opponents can close the gap and attract a larger crowd.

“It’s probably down to the results the last few years,” said Fitzpatrick about the poor crowd two days ago. “Everyone expects Kilkenny to win well and we did, in fairness. It is only going to change when the matches get closer.

“Maybe in the future the GAA might put a football match with it or move it down the country to Carlow or somewhere like that. Traditionally it has been played in Croke Park though. That has been the tradition.”