‘The sweetest win of all’, says Tyrrell

SO many times already in careers with gongs galore, the hurlers of Kilkenny experienced that magical post All-Ireland Monday morning feeling.

However, it never felt so good as yesterday when the players gathered for breakfast at the CityWest Hotel posing for photos with delighted supporters.

“Absolutely the sweetest,” said corner-back Jackie Tyrrell.

“I know we did the four-in-a-row and all that, stopped Cork in 2006 from doing three-in-a-row, but this is the sweetest win of all. We talked about that hurt from last year, and Liam Sheedy spoke about it in our dressing room [after losing the 2010 final], how it drove Tipp on — that hurt stays inside you for the year.”

Agreed, reckoned wing-back Tommy Walsh.

“Oh this is definitely number one. I suppose they always say your last one is number one but as regards feelings, when you lose you are so hurt, and then when you win it just means so much more. The one you would compare it to is 06 when we lost two before that — those two would be much the same.

“Just waking up this morning — you’re kind of looking forward to going to bed just to wake up the following morning.”

You’d know by looking at midfielder Michael Rice anyway.

“Ah, it’s a great feeling, you’d be a lot fresher on mornings like this! We were hurting from last year where in 2010 they had been hurting from 2009, and that does work in your favour.”

Of huge satisfaction to Michael and his teammates, everyone played well, from keeper David Herity to goal-scoring hero Richie Hogan.

“Brian Cody said it himself, he didn’t make any substitutions because everyone was playing so well. When he did move it was only because lads had emptied the tank, weren’t able to move anymore. Michael Dempsey is a tremendous trainer, always has us in peak condition, never any bother that way. We never feel under any pressure fitness-wise”

A return to basics, that’s what got Kilkenny across the line, reckons Eoin Larkin.

“We talked about it for the last few weeks and we admitted that the workrate had dropped last year, and even the year before, so we made a conscious effort to get that workrate back up.

“We saw it especially in the league final this year against Dublin, but as Brian always says, the backs have to tackle and the forwards have to be forced to tackle.”

Going man to man in defence was also key, reckons Eoin’s James Stephens clubmate Tyrrell.

“We had our homework done, we had a plan, and everyone picked up his man and everyone did his job. Paul Murphy, his first All-Ireland final but you wouldn’t think it the way he played. “All year we talked about the hurt, and Lar Corbett getting three goals was a big part of that.”

On Sunday, Jackie held Lar scoreless.

“Brian Cody said it to me a couple of weeks in training, that I might be the man to pick him up, that I might be concentrating on just him, and that’s a great compliment to be paid, to begiven that kind of responsibility.

“Look, Lar is a super hurler and in fairness to the lads out the field they made my job a lot easier, the pressure they put on Padraic Maher and those guys who are the launch pad for Tipperary — Lar wasn’t getting the ball he got last year.”

Standing tallest of all, however, captain Brian Hogan.

“You’d be a proud man this morning, unbelievable, best feeling in the world. It’s a long way from 12 months ago, a world away.”