Kilkenny inspired by passing of Old Guard

Doubts about Kilkenny’s All-Ireland credentials in the wake of mass retirements proved a key motivation in their eventual success, according to star defender Paul Murphy.

The players felt they had been written off having fallen into a relegation final against Clare. In the week of that game, Henry Shefflin announced his retirement following JJ Delaney, Tommy Walsh, Brian Hogan and David Herity. The prevailing sense that something had come to an end in Kilkenny wasn’t lost on Brian Cody’s panel even if they didn’t agree with it.

“We didn’t hurl overly bad in the league; we just didn’t get the results. We didn’t feel that there was any moment for real concern. The relegation final can take on a life of its own and in that game against Clare that day they could have gone ahead and beaten us but luckily we got the result.