Cody: Dubs won’t be an easy touch for anyone

DUBLIN’S hurlers won’t be at the receiving end of a tanking for the foreseeable future, according to Brian Cody.

If he hadn’t been championing the Blues for the last few seasons, the Kilkenny manager would be guilty of playing up the opposition ahead of Sunday’s Allianz HL Division 1 final.

But Cody has been an admirer of Dublin under Anthony Daly and can’t see a repeat of his team’s 19-point win over them in Croke Park or in next few years.

“I’ve been impressed with Dublin for three or four years now and obviously I’ve been saying that for quite awhile,” he said.

“I’m on the record as saying it and I’ve been saying it because I believe it.

“There’s terrific potential there. What has happened for the past few years they’ve hit a day when they just didn’t perform well.

“Like last year against us they had a 19-point defeat and they were beaten by Antrim in the qualifiers and they were setbacks that tended to happen.

“They mixed that with some great displays on other days. This year I don’t think those defeats are going to be happening any more.

“Those days are gone. Dublin are not going to flop on any given day — I believe that and I think they’ve added a real consistency to their play.”

In light of Dublin’s first league final in 65 years this Sunday, Cody was asked about his own first league final (the 1976 win over Clare) but he has forgotten all about it.

“I’m not much good at those things, to be honest with you. I’m not very sentimental about what used to happen one time. I’m too busy with what’s going on right now.”

Tommy Walsh and Eoin Larkin weigh most on his mind after they shipped injuries in a club game last weekend. Michael Fennelly and Aidan Fogarty are definitely out of the game.

Given his suspect shoulder, Walsh’s participation in Tullaroan’s club match with James Stephens was risky but Cody’s opinion on such matters is a bit muddy.

“You have to be 100% right to survive what next Sunday is going to be like,” he stated.

“From a medical point of view you have to be right but at the same time you admire a player who is prepared to get out there and play regardless and I think every player should want to play for his club if at all possible.

“With the medical set-up we have and all inter-county teams have you’ll know for certain the absolute condition a player is in and how ready he is. There are certain things you can play with less than fully fit but certain things you can’t either.”

On another injury matter, Eddie Keher suggested Henry Shefflin might play in a new forward role earlier this week, possibly in the inside line or between it and the half-forwards as a link.

However, Cody insists he hasn’t even considered where to play the Ballyhale Shamrocks man when he returns.

“I haven’t a clue about it, to be honest. Henry’s sole motivation and our sole motivation for Henry is that he gets back playing.

“He is making great progress he is working as he does and he is completely determined to put himself into a position where he is fighting for a place on the team in the not too distant future is what you’d be hoping for.”