Brian Cody: 'Intensity is a huge part of any team sport'

“Tactics.” Brian Cody mentions the word with no little amount of disdain and no shortage of mockery. Yet later in the conversation he’s not so dismissive.

“James (McGarry), Derek (Lyng) and myself pick the team and decide whatever has to be decided on as regards personnel and tactics, whatever they are and everything else you know and preparation, and Mick (Dempsey) obviously is very much with the physical preparation as well.”

Intensity is a word more to his liking although he frowns on Michael Ryan’s assessment of his Kilkenny team as the masters of it. “I suppose he’s saying that, for the craic... I think that’s what has been a hallmark of Tipperary, not just this year. Intensity is a huge part of any team sport. How many times have we been on the receiving end of that intensity from various counties? We certainly have. And if we didn’t have an element of that or if we can’t bring that to a very, very decent level, we’re going to be blown away.