Richie tips Cats for power surge
Sixteen games and 16 wins. A record to be particularly proud of.
Despite coming off the bench to score a couple of points, defeat stung his lips in the 2005 All-Ireland semi-final against Galway in what was his debut season at senior level.
He didn’t experience its taste for another six years when Tipperary spoiled the Cats’ five-in-a-row party plans.
Looking back, he merely shrugs his shoulders but inside there’s a rage.
“Everything comes to an end eventually,” said Power at the launch of the Puma King Finale boot. “We’d have no complaints or qualms about the All-Ireland last year.
“The better team won on the day and fair play to Tipperary but if you can come back stronger than the year before it’s a sign of a great team.”
A recent minor hip operation deprives Power of the chance to exact some revenge for last September in this Saturday’s Allianz League Division One opener in Thurles.
But the lay-off isn’t expected to be significant and Power is eager to get back and carry on from his superb form last season, which the All Star acknowledges was his best string of performances in a Kilkenny jersey.
Just don’t expect him to consider taking over the reins from Henry Shefflin as the leader in attack. Not only does the Carrickshock man argue it can’t be done but he also confidently predicts Shefflin will extend his career for a couple more seasons after he returns from knee surgery later this year.
“There’s no one that can replace the likes of Henry,” insisted Power about his 32-year-old team-mate. “Henry will be back this year, I have no doubt about that. Knowing Henry and the sportsman he is, he’ll be back stronger than ever.
“People say he mightn’t have a couple of years left in him but I have no doubt there’s a couple of years left in him.
Power is just as unequivocal about Cody’s future as Kilkenny manager. Despite the loss to Tipperary, the players never doubted that he would be in situ for 2011.
“All the players knew that Brian would be back and we all wanted him back. There was never a question of it.
“Brian’s record speaks for itself. He’s been there for I think 11 or 12 years, he’s after bringing Kilkenny to 10 All-Irelands. It’s a phenomenal record.
“His appetite for the game hasn’t changed and he’s more determined this year than ever to get us hopefully back on top but it’s a long way to go.
“He’s taking every step as it goes. There’s a lot of new guys after being brought in and he’s building again for the future.”
In last year’s league campaign Kilkenny failed to reach the Division One final for only the second time in six years. In the grand scheme of things, did it make much of a difference? Power would object to that school of thought but regards the league as a major part in Kilkenny’s recovery plan this year.
“I suppose last year the league didn’t go so well but I think what a lot people forget is we were very close to being in a league final.
“Galway beat us by a point and if we had won that day we would have been in the league final so we weren’t too far off.
“Definitely this year the league is a stepping stone and there’s a lot of young guys after being brought in so I’m sure they’ll want to make a big impression.
“Training’s after going well so we’ll have a fair idea where we stand in Thurles.”
Meanwhile, Tipperary will be without three of their six starting forwards from last September’s All-Ireland final victory for the rematch at Semple Stadium.
Manager Declan Ryan won’t be able to call on captain Eoin Kelly, who is getting married this Friday as well as injury victims Lar Corbett (foot) and John O’Brien (wrist).
David Young is expected to step into the right-half back position vacated by the retired Declan Fanning.
Ryan, meanwhile, has let a number of players go from his extended panel as he looks ahead to the League campaign.
Darragh Egan and Jody Brennan have been dropped along with Darragh Hickey, Timmy Dalton and goalkeeper Matthew Ryan.
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