Time is not our friend, says Aylward

Former Ballyhale Shamrocks player and manager Maurice Aylward does not believe the current squad is as strong as the 2007 and 2010 versions which claimed All-Irelands.

Aylward, who managed his native Ballyhale to four county league titles, three county championships, two Leinsters and one All-Ireland, thinks time has weakened the squad.

“I don’t think they’re as strong as the two All-Ireland winning squads, they’ve pushed on a bit since then,” he said.

“You must remember, most of this team are on the road a long time, the defence especially. There have been very few changes here. They’re ageing a bit and the weather mightn’t stand to them, but still they’re a hard outfit to break down, very hard. They play very much as a unit, back each other up well, very strong under the ball and they’re all pretty good hurlers as well.”

Up front though, a major loss for the Shamrocks is current All Star TJ Reid, who fractured his kneecap in the All-Ireland final replay.

“He’s a man who can play anywhere from the full-forward line out to the half-back line. When Henry and Cha were both injured one year, TJ — at just 19 years of age — took over and he was absolutely brilliant, gave great leadership.

“You can imagine his loss now, having spent three or four years since then on the county panel. I remember against Toomevara in the 2007 All-Ireland semi-final. We won a sideline, I said to TJ ‘Put it across the field to such-and-such’ — ‘I won’t’, he said, ‘I’m putting this over the bar’. And he did; only 19 but that was the confidence he had. That score lifted the team and we went on to win.”

So, all bad news for Ballyhale then, no chance tomorrow? Far from it. King Henry is still there, as is Cha.

“Cha is playing well, most of his games are at half-forward these days. He’s not the outstanding player of three or four years ago when he was one of the best midfield players in the country, and his record speaks for itself, but he is playing very well, still a fine hurler.”

And Henry? “Henry didn’t have a great game, by his own standards in the county final against Dicksboro. Things just didn’t run for him. It kind of reminded me of 2005, the first year I was involved with them when the Village beat us in the county final.

“But Henry even at half pace is still a fine player, and he was very good in the semi-final win over O’Loughlin Gaels.”