Sheedy: I’d like to see Shefflin play
On Monday night, Kilkenny manager Brian Cody said it was in the “lap of the gods” whether Shefflin and fellow cruciate ligament injury victim John Tennyson made the final, but yesterday Sheedy said “All-Ireland final day really needs to see the best players”.
“We’ve loads to focus on here in our own county,” said Sheedy. “I guess from a hurler’s point of view, the All-Ireland final day really needs to see the best players. We had a similar scenario last year with Eoin (Kelly) coming up to the final, would he make it, wouldn’t he make it, and I think when you get to the big stage, you want every player to be available.
“If Henry makes it, it’s good for hurling but at the end of the day you’ve got to measure yourself. Not that it makes a big impact because there’s huge strength in depth in their panel. On All-Ireland final day, the ideal scenario for both counties will be that everybody’s available for selection.
“We’ve had our own misfortunes. James (Woodlock) and Paul (Kelly) would have played a big part in the final last year and they haven’t played any part at all this year. This year the strength of the pack is really what it comes down to. I think our panel has responded in the best possible way. ”
Sheedy said Eoin Kelly’s back was much stronger than it was last year.
“He (Kelly) definitely feels it’s a lot stronger. He had a tough preparation for the semi-final but if his back is twinging and he gets another 2-1, it’s alright with me.”
Kelly himself said he felt good apart from a minor setback brought on when he was overambitious in the gym. He added that Henry Shefflin was likely to put his personal goals of playing in the All-Ireland final to one side for the sake of the Kilkenny team.
“I tweaked the back a week or two before it (the Waterford game) doing something in the gym,” said Kelly. “With the back injury, I suppose when it felt so good, it is a process of elimination now with what you do with it.
“Henry is the kind of guy… he wants to play an All-Ireland final, there are personal goals for him, winning his eighth All-Ireland medal but knowing Henry as a person and a player, he will put personal goals to one side. The team goals will come first.”
Sheedy also confirmed that apart from “niggles and knocks” Tipperary will pick from a full squad.
Meanwhile, John Leahy has ruled out Shefflin’s chances of recovering but the Tipp legend believes doubt over Shefflin’s fitness takes pressure off the five-in-a-row chasing Cats.
Leahy suffered his own cruciate ligament problems during his long and decorated career.
“I do think that to take the attention off the team, it’s a great tool to have, that Henry’s injured, keep the attention on Henry,” said Leahy at yesterday’s launch of the Meteor/Kilmacud Crokes Hurling Sevens. “It’ll be good to take the media off the five in a row.
“Coming up to the All-Ireland, they don’t ever name the team until the Friday night so we’ll still have the attention up until Friday night on Henry or Brian Hogan or Tommy Walsh. It is definitely going to be to Kilkenny’s advantage coming up to All-Ireland.”
Leahy is under no illusions as to the loss Shefflin would be on the field itself. Neither is Charlie Carter, who won two Celtic Crosses alongside Shefflin in 2000 and 2002.
“It’s a long shot,” said Carter. “It’s Henry Shefflin. We have seen what he has done in the past. When someone needed to step up and take the penalty the maestro stepped up and slotted it away. I can’t see him starting. So you are talking about a cameo role and, with 10 minutes to go and if Kilkenny were in trouble, if there was any chance of Henry playing you would turn around and give him the beck.”
