Kilkenny pay for misses in Division 1A

Brian Cody won’t ask the Ballyhale Shamrocks players to return to action with Kilkenny next weekend, despite the looming prospect of relegation.

Henry Shefflin, TJ Reid and the Fennelly brothers would be a considerable boost to Kilkenny when they play Clare next weekend but they line out against Kilmallock in tomorrow’s All-Ireland club final.

“I wouldn’t be asking lads to tog out again a few days after an All-Ireland final,” said Cody after yesterday’s defeat at the hands of Tipperary.

“Not unless they decided they wanted to themselves. But we’re not even thinking we’re going to have anyone back for next week. The league goes on. The following week there’s a match again.”

One of the few bright spots for Cody yesterday was the display of Richie Hogan.

“He had an excellent first half. He’s just carried on and was manful to the very end. Tipp got on top of us but we had chances early on in the second half and didn’t take them.

“Those things matter. Suddenly it gives confidence to a team. We didn’t get scores; we didn’t finish off the moves and that certainly gave Tipp the drive to keep on going and they were strong.”

Kilkenny created opportunities in Thurles yesterday; they just didn’t take them.

“We had goal chances and it’s good we created them but we would need to finish them, and we didn’t. That’s the way it went today but as I said, there’s life after today; that’s for sure.

“They (Tipperary) did win an awful lot of 50-50 ball. That’s the way it happens sometimes. There’s no excuses as regards missing players. There’s no point talking about that.

“We had out the players we had out. They’re all part of our panel. We hurled well for half the game but not well enough the rest of the game.”

Statisticians in Semple were suggesting it was the first time Kilkenny have lost three consecutive games under Cody’s management...

“I’ve no idea,” said the manager. “Haven’t the slightest idea. I don’t even consider how many in a row. That’s nothing to do with it. We’ll just get ready for the next game.We always say we want to win the league. Same this year. I thought last Sunday we did we well. Against Dublin, we’d be disappointed how we played. Today we were decent for the first half, would be disappointed with how we played in the second.

“We’ll just keep it going. We’ve an important game against Clare next Sunday.”