King Henry taking Cats’ four-in-a-row quest in his stride

THIS week Kilkenny manager Brian Cody commented on the fact that teams had actually outmuscled them in their last two matches – the Leinster semi-final win over Galway and the National League final win over Tipperary.

For Henry Shefflin, it’s just par for the course. “I don’t know if you are actually conscious of the physicality. I think you would know it was a high intensity match and if it was a match like you describe where both teams are going at it hell for leather, I think the physicality of it is up anyway. I don’t think you are very much aware of it when you are playing.”

It’s important to note here, however – though seriously tested, Kilkenny won both games. They showed their battling qualities in each tie, and with three points from the King in the second against Galway kick-starting their effort they took off on a game-winning 10-point run.

“Someone said it in the dressing-room afterwards, but you wouldn’t be in any way conscious of it,” recalls Shefflin of that scoring streak. “I knew that we had got on top at that stage, our backs were hurling very well and the supply of ball was reduced for Galway. You would be conscious of the fact that Eoin Larkin is sticking the ball over the bar every couple of minutes and that was great to see.

“I think it is only after the match that you realise those things.”

Still, it was the mark of champions and this year they are on a mission: four-in-a-row of All-Ireland titles. “Since it went back last year to the Munster and Leinster champions going straight through to the All-Ireland semi-final, the most direct route is the best route to go, and that’s our aim.”

On a personal level Shefflin has been one of the few ever-presents on the Kilkenny team since Brian Cody took over, back in 1999, already has six Celtic Crosses in his collection; maintaining the hunger, however, isn’t a problem. “Ah no. It’s great that we have such a good summer – the weather is so fine, why wouldn’t we enjoy it?

“We’ve been very lucky in Kilkenny – I know I’ve said it before, the success we have had, and when you take that for granted that’s the day you stop enjoying it. We love the sport, we love hurling. I watch the game and there is no better viewing than watching a good intense game of hurling.”

As he gets older though, does it get harder, or easier? “I think a bit of both. Harder in that when you wake up in the mornings after a game or hard training you are a bit stiff and sore but you have that bit more experience as well. Both of them work against each other. We still love doing it, it’s when you start to slow down a bit and you realise that these younger lads are too fast for you. That’s when I will probably hurt a bit more.”

On a team level, the attitude is just as professional, no-one thinking beyond the next game, to what might be. “No, I don’t think so. It’s about the panel. The players are worried about themselves first and foremost and individually you are worried about getting your hurling right first of all, training hard and getting yourself on the team. That’s all that concerns players. I don’t think the players are worried about that (history). We’re just worried about getting on the team.”

No worries on that score, surely, for Henry Shefflin, and he will be there again this Sunday in Croke Park as Kilkenny face Dublin in the Leinster final. A new pairing, a welcome break from Kilkenny/Wexford, though Shefflin does add a qualification to that. “To be fair if I was a neutral I’d like to see someone different but the people in Wexford wouldn’t want me to say that. If it was Kilkenny (losing out) I’d be the same – blood is thicker than water.

“For the game of hurling though we need Dublin up there. It’s the capital and if you have a successful team from Dublin I think hurling throughout Ireland will benefit from it.

“It’s not something we’re surprised at, it’s been something that has been coming, there has been excellent underage success in Dublin, excellent colleges success. But now they’re right, they have an excellent manager in place, those lads that were minor are 20, 21 years of age. Physically they are stronger and we know from playing them they are an excellent team.”