English: battle to pass new championship format

FORMER Tipperary star and All-Ireland-winning manager Nickey English fears that it may be ‘a struggle’ for the amended structure of the senior hurling championship for the next three years to get through next weekend’s Special Congress in Croke Park.

Speaking as a member of the Hurling Development Committee, he said yesterday that it was ‘the right thing’ for Galway — and Antrim — to do.

The obvious benefit, he said was that the two counties would have competitive games around the same time as the other counties in the running for the Liam MacCarthy Cup. “As always in the GAA you have lots of people who think about their own sphere of activity first and what impacts on them and that’s disappointing. I hope it goes through, but to me it looks like it will struggle.

“While this year was disappointing for Galway, I’m not sure you can ultimately blame the competition either. There’s symmetry to everybody starting in June or July. And the current system in regard to the All-Ireland championship is quite good — if you could sort out the anomaly with Galway and Antrim particularly.’’

Meanwhile, he agrees that the challenge facing the main contenders for Kilkenny’s crown in 2009 will be to come up to their high standard. It’s something he says won’t be easy.

“You have to hand it to them. They have the strongest 20 players and four or five others who would be on any other county team. That gives you strength and it allows Brian Cody to do what he does best. And, that’s picking the team consistently on form because you have people putting pressure on other lads.”

Admitting to not being ‘too disappointed’ about his own county’s loss in the semi-final, English feels that the lessons learned in defeat ‘wouldn’t have done them any harm at all,’ adding: “It could be seen as a good year. They won the League, improved, beat Kilkenny in Nowlan Park and then won the Munster title for the first time in seven years. They are moving in the right direction.”

Long-serving goalkeeper Brendan Cummins says that the ‘big challenge’ will be to build on what the team and management achieved this year.

“We need to carry it on, that’s how we will be judged in 2009,’’ he said.

“I think a bit of inexperience cost us against Waterford. We had a five-week break before the Munster final and we kicked off well against Clare. Croke Park a different arena and it’s new to a lot of our lads at that level.

“Kilkenny have it all. They have the experience and people coming in that have won at under-age. And they have Brian Cody at the helm cracking the whip.”

A father since January, Cummins gained particular satisfaction from his involvement this year after happened last year when he lost his place. And, while he says he will wait for another few months before deciding on his future, he’s ‘hopeful’ he will be able to continue.