It would be fitting if Shefflin and Cody go out at top

ONE of the pleasures of writing in these pages this past year was the opportunity to get an extensive one-to-one interview with Henry Shefflin.

It was on the eve of this year’s All-Ireland final and it was a fascinating insight into the mindset of a man who was preparing for his 11th All-Ireland senior inter-county final. After his cruciate had given way again only minutes into the 2010 decider, he was on crutches and out of work for three months.

His work colleagues at Bank of Ireland had been kind enough to give him the use of an automatic car to make it easier for him to get down to the gym in Hotel Kilkenny and carry out his rehab. It was a gesture he did not take for granted.