Former Kilkenny and Tipp star Byrne expects Shefflin to start
Latest reports in Kilkenny suggests that Shefflin, chasing a 10th senior medal, is in line to replace Walter Walsh up front and will line out at full-forward in a reshuffle. And Noreside sources have also indicated that manager Brian Cody will alter the make-up of his half-back line, with Joey Holden and Brian Hogan’s positions under threat.
It is understood Shefflin, Pádraig Walsh and Kieran Joyce have been playing on the A team in recent training outings and the trio are pushing hard for starting places.
Byrne is predicting that Cody will act swiftly after the Cats conceded 1-28 against Tipperary in the thrilling drawn encounter 16 days ago.
And the 2000 All-Ireland medallist insisted that Cody should start Shefflin rather than introduce the Ballyhale wizard as an impact sub.
Byrne, who stunned the hurling world by lining out for Tipperary in 2003, said: “I think they’d be better off starting him [Shefflin] than bringing him on for five or 10 minutes.
“I’d start him in the half-forward line because you need more speed in the full-forward line. At this stage, his legs wouldn’t be getting any faster.
“On the half line, he could drift around and contest puckouts. And let’s be honest about it, Kilkenny’s half-forwards haven’t been winning that many puckouts in recent times.
“I definitely think he’s worth more than two or three minutes at the end of the game and he wouldn’t want to be brought on as a token gesture at the end of the game for the sake of getting a medal.
“That’s not what he went back training for at the start of the year.”
Former All Star Byrne conceded that predicting a winner of the replay is incredibly difficult and explained that whichever defence tightens up most will provide the key to victory.
In that regard, Byrne expects Cody to tinker with his defence before throw-in, rather than reacting during the heat of battle.
Byrne explained: “The Kilkenny management wouldn’t be noted for making calls during games.
“They make a lot of calls before games but they wouldn’t be noted for making changes in high-pressure situations.
“I think they will probably make a good few [pre-match] changes.
“That would be the pattern of recent years — they seem to make a lot of changes between games but not that many during the match itself.”
Adding that Tipperary could have had “five or six goals” at the first time of asking, Byrne acknowledges that the 2010 champions are in with a big chance again.
He added: “If Tipp can tighten up at the back, they’ll win and likewise with Kilkenny. It’s wicked hard to call. You might say that Kilkenny have been the dominant team for the last couple of years, yet in my lifetime I’ve seen Tipp and Kilkenny in five All-Ireland finals.
“Tipp won two, Kilkenny won two and the other one was a draw.
“In most of those games, there’s only been a puck of the ball in it.
“I know that Kilkenny have come out on top in a few in recent years but historically, Tipp would have the upper hand in the rivalry. Tipp used to always have a hard-hitting defence and in the 1991 All-Ireland final, they pulverised the Kilkenny forwards.
“They really physically overpowered them. They’re more hurlers now but at the same time, they have a really physical defence.
“Tipp will rise their game to Kilkenny, the same as Kilkenny will with Tipp. It’s just whoever performs on the day.”
Byrne added: “Kilkenny were very lucky there wasn’t five or six goals gone in the last day.
“And Tipp are in a bit of form. They have a good forward line and while lads have been slagging off Lar Corbett, they can say what they like about him but in three of the All-Ireland finals against Kilkenny [2009, 2010 and 2014], he’s been nearly man of the match in all of them. How many players can say that, and he was hurling well in Nowlan Park last year before he had to go off injured.
“Seamus Callanan is playing well, so too ‘Bubbles’ O’Dwyer and ‘Bonner’ Maher. They have good hurlers and make no mistake about it, they can beat Kilkenny, and Kilkenny know Tipperary have a team capable of beating them.
“Likewise, Kilkenny can beat Tipp. Both defences would want to tighten up. 31 points is a big score to be conceding from both sides.”
