Skehan expects Cody to stay on

Brian Cody’s former selector and team-mate Noel Skehan expects the Kilkenny manager to be in charge for a 16th season next year.

The decorated goalkeeper also anticipates 34-year-old Henry Shefflin will stay on for another campaign.

“As most people know, Brian doesn’t make up his mind until after the county final,” said Skehan. “I would imagine he’ll stay on.

“His heart and soul is in it and he’s a great bunch of players there.

“I would imagine 95% of the current panel will be there next year. I can’t see much changes. They’ve a break now until the league in February and it’ll do them good.

“I’m hearing this is the end of this team but that’s just ridiculous. They’re going a long time and they’ve mileage but they’re all young enough and that includes Henry.”

Shefflin, according to Skehan, put too much into getting fit for this season to finish his inter-county career on such a disappointing note.

“He’s had a tough time and had no match practice, really. He was trying to get back all year and I’d have seen him going into the gym and knew the amount of effort he was putting in. It was phenomenal stuff and I can definitely see him coming back.”

Skehan objected to Barry Kelly’s decision to dismiss Shefflin in the 34th minute of Sunday’s All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Cork.

“I thought the sending off was very unfair. The second yellow card probably was a yellow card but there was no malice or danger in it and the forward (Jamie Coughlan) went down low too. It was near his neck but there was nothing heavy in it.

“I suppose the rules are the rules but I guess I don’t understand the rules at this stage! The first yellow wasn’t a yellow card at all.”

He believes the inconsistency in refereeing is having a negative impact on hurling.

“Anybody who tells me any two referees are reading the same rulebook would amaze me. That’s the way it looked in Thurles. We’re not getting this thing right. I remember the great Tipperary referee John Moloney being asked once what referees are really for. He answered: ‘To help players play the game at a high standard’. I don’t think that’s happening now.”