Henry the Navigator

IN ALL the hype leading up to the All-Ireland final, one would be forgiven for thinking that there is little else in the life of Henry Shefflin besides hurling.

He’s the sport’s principal pin-up boy, its marquee name, the latest in a long line of Kilkenny superstars, and there are those then who believe that in these last few weeks, after their semi-final win over Cork, all that’s been on Shefflin’s mind is Sunday’s final.

We overlook a few things, don’t we? Like the fact that Shefflin is in full-time employment, a financial advisor with Bank of Ireland, like the fact that he’s recently married, like the fact that he might even be diverted by things like the recent Olympics. Not engrossed, mind you, he doesn’t have time for that, but keeping a watching brief.

Closer to home, Shefflin was equally impressed with Waterford’s All-Ireland semi-final win over Tipperary, the semi-final win the Decies had been threatening for so long. “Probably one that was coming. They’ve been building nicely all year, but I suppose Waterford have always said that come August, that’s when they want to be peaking and they’ve got the timing right this year. It was a great performance — it’s a different Waterford team this year and their experience told in the end. They’ve ground out their victories, over Offaly and Wexford as well, they’ve developed the habit of winning tight games and of course that’s always a good habit.”

AS a college student, Shefflin spent a few years in Waterford, won a couple of Fitzgibbon Cups with Waterford IT. Nowadays he still spends a lot of time across the river, and being the national figure he is, hurling will always figure high in any conversation he has down there.

“I’m working down there now, live in south Kilkenny, and that’s where the rivalry is greatest between ourselves and Waterford. A lot of south Kilkenny people work in Waterford, earn their living there, and we can appreciate how they feel. We’re very lucky in Kilkenny, a lot of our supporters don’t realise that, how lucky we are to be contesting All-Irelands. It’s only when you see a team like Waterford who haven’t been there for 45 years that it strikes us.

“But we can totally appreciate what an achievement it is for them to get to this final, it was a great victory for them [in the semi-final, against Tipp], made all the sweeter after losing five. You could see that from the reaction of the players and the supporters. I’ve been talking to a good few Waterford people these past few weeks, and I’d say a lot of people up there had tears in their eyes. It was a great sporting occasion.”

During his time in Waterford IT, Shefflin should have come across many of this current Waterford side. Surprisingly, however, he didn’t, WIT in hurling being a little like UCC and Kerry in football, dominated by players from the All-Ireland kingpins.

“Dave Bennett was there for a year, Brick Walsh was after me, Ken (McGrath) was before me, John Mullane came after me as well, so no, I didn’t play with many of them.”

He has that much in common with those four Waterford players then, at least, but there is one huge difference: five All-Ireland medals.

This year, that dream is one step closer to reality for Waterford, and with Waterford in position to win their first All-Ireland title since 1959, Kilkenny in position to win their first on-field three-in-a-row, the hype machine is at full steam ahead.

Makes no difference, says Shefflin, same deal as any of the finals that have gone before.

“None whatsoever. As Brian (Cody, manager) would always say, as the players would always say, it’s about ourselves first and foremost, and I’m sure Waterford will say the same thing, they’re just worried about themselves. It doesn’t make any difference; last year it was Limerick, a new team, and there was great hype around that as well.

“On a personal level it’s a bit closer, because I’m working down there, but it doesn’t matter who you’re playing, it’s about getting yourself right, getting Kilkenny right, having ourselves right on the day. That starts individually, getting your own game in order, working in the last couple of weeks on getting your head right.”

AND yet, for all his protestations to the contrary, there is a difference this year, for the reasons outlined above, and there is a difference in Henry Shefflin particularly.

Normally a silky player, using his vast and varied skills to pile up huge scores in game after game, in that recent semi-final win over Cork, Shefflin was more animated than we’re used to seeing, more physical, more aggressive, using his 6’2”, 14st frame to telling effect.

Year after year, since he made his senior debut in 1999, the drive that was always in Shefflin is becoming more and more obvious, but last year, this year even more so, against Cork especially, it was really evident.

“It was a big game; you saw the Dublin footballers, it was knockout and that’s it, you’re gone. Once you get to knockout stage that’s it, you’re either a winner or you’re gone. There’s a lot riding on it, those are the big games, those are the ones you want to be playing in.

“It wasn’t that Tipp were under-cooked (for their semi-final), I think Waterford just exploded out of the blocks. They were just so focused, so up for the game, that they were going to do whatever it took to win it and you could see that in the way they started, their play in the opening minutes was magnificent.”

And yet, claims Shefflin, it really doesn’t get any easier, as you get older. “You might think it’s easier for some of the older players but it’s not, it’s still an All-Ireland final. Earlier in your career you look forward to playing in one, and it’s great to be still doing that. It’s about going up and enjoying it too. Obviously we’ve seen the pre-match parade and all that – doesn’t matter, you do parades before semi-finals now. Sometimes experience can go with you, sometimes it can go against you – it’s just all on the day, how the team performs.”

All on the day, but so much depends on what has gone before, so much.