Hickey: Cats not complacent despite run

IT’S been a frustrating start to this season for Kilkenny full-back Noel Hickey.

He was operated on before Christmas for the groin injury that so affected him last season (he barely made it back in time for the All-Ireland semi-final and final, though he did enough in those two games to earn himself yet another All-Star). Noel then found that even as he was in rehab from that operation, the other groin began to niggle, leading to another meeting with the surgeon.

“The first one, that groin was fierce sore, it had to be done; then the other one was iffy, it was felt I was better off to get it done straight away or it would just come at me again in the summer. I don’t know what caused it (the second groin injury) but it was just like a hernia; they patched it up, a piece of wire mesh gone in to keep it all together.”

As Kilkenny powered their way to another league final, where they face holders Tipperary in Thurles tomorrow, Noel has been impressed, but not as impressed, perhaps, as the rest of us.

“They were playing great stuff at times; they lost to Waterford in their second game but came back well. They went out the next day in a must-win game against Galway, for some reason Galway weren’t too sharp and Kilkenny won. Then we had the Tipperary game, and in the first half the lads played out of their skins. Clare then; Kilkenny didn’t play really well but won well in the end. Against Cork, another big win but Cork were only just back in training after they had settled their problems. A lot of people were getting carried away after all that but they need to be realistic.

“I think everyone is building Kilkenny up, but hoping for a big fall. We will be beaten in championship at some stage, we’re all aware of that, we’re just trying to put that day off for as long as we can. It could be against Tipperary this Sunday, it could be a championship match, but we can be beaten. If we’re not up to scratch, we’ll be beaten.”

So, analysis duties done, let’s go to preview – can Tipperary defy the odds? “Yes, they can, I’d be very surprised if it’s anything like it was in Nowlan Park a few weeks ago. I know Tipp might be without some of their big guns – Conor O’Mahony, the two Kellys – but those who come in will be fighting for championship places so there won’t be anything easy.”

Club games, Noel reckons, are one of the reasons Kilkenny retain their appetite and freshness. “The county players are all released to play for their clubs in league games. After the Dublin game everyone went back to their clubs and we only came back together again this week on Wednesday night. It’s good, you’re training the whole time but you’re still getting a break from Nowlan Park (with the county), which keeps things fresh.

WEXFORD (SH v Offaly): D Flynn; M. Travers, P. Roche, A O’Connell; M. Jacob, S. Nolan, R. .Kehoe; D. Redmond, C. Kenny; D. Lyng (Capt), A. Shore, . P. Carley; R. Jacob, S. Banville, P. Kenny.

OFFALY: B. Mullins; D. Franks, D. Kenny, J. Rigney; K. Brady, G. Oakley, P. Cleary; R. Hanniffy, B. Murphy; B. Carroll, J. Brady, D. Molloy; D. Currams, S. Dooley, J. Bergin.