Christy Heffernan: Ger Aylward now proving his class

Ger Aylward is keen to make up for lost time, according to his Glenmore club-mate and former Kilkenny forward Christy Heffernan.

A series of injuries, particularly to his ankles, have hampered the 23-year-old’s progress in recent years but he certainly made the most of his senior championship debut start scoring 3-5 against Wexford last month.

In line to start again in Sunday’s Leinster final against Galway, Heffernan can’t see him shifted from the team too easily.

“You can be sure he won’t leave anything after him,” said Heffernan. “He’s going well now in training by all accounts and that’s all that Brian Cody wants.

“He’s got a great bit of speed and he’s that eye for goal going back years, although he wouldn’t be the world’s best distributor of a ball.

“He’s been plagued with injuries since minor. Unfortunately for the club, he would have picked up injuries just when he and Eoin Murphy, the mainstays of the team, would be relied on to come up with the goods.

“You can see what he’s capable of when his body is right.”

Aylward’s 1-1 haul in the 2012 U21 All-Ireland final against Clare first brought him to national attention while he registered the same total in a league game against Waterford the following year.

Although he’s since had some form difficulties on top of the injuries.

In 2013, he was brought on against Tipperary in the first round qualifier only to be taken off in the second half. He was sent off for the U21s when Wexford beat them in a Leinster final two years ago.

“He’d be headstrong,” laughs Heffernan.

“He wouldn’t shy away from anything. He’s a tigerish hurler with an eye for the kill. He’s tenacious — the biggest man doesn’t bother him.

“He’s strong and would take on any fella.”