‘We’ll give it one hell of a lash’

SEVEN All-Ireland medals down. Another on the horizon. Noel Hickey of Kilkenny has put down another long season of drudgery and effort in the Kilkenny cause, sacrifice and denial.

“I look forward to training,” he says. “It’s great heading in, there’s good crack in the dressing-room, what more could you ask for?”

We were aiming for the impassive commitment angle, Noel. Are you saying there are jokers in the Kilkenny pack? “Gorta (Martin Comerford). Cha. John Tennyson. The three of them come to mind.”