Henry Shefflin: Ger Loughnane's ‘functional’ comments will drive Kilkenny on

Henry Shefflin is over a year removed from the inner sanctum of the Kilkenny dressing room, but he knows how his erstwhile peers and manager will have dealt with those verbal grenades tossed at them by Ger Loughnane.

‘Functional’ was the former Clare manager’s opinion on this current crop of Cats, one he insisted should not be focusing in on a third All-Ireland title in a row.

Brian Cody laughed it off earlier this month, while Colin Fennelly labelled the comments crazy, disappointing and weird.