Michael Ryan warns Kilkenny are on the rebound

Tipperary manager Michael Ryan said notions that Kilkenny won’t be contenders this year are well wide of the mark and he expects a big response from Brian Cody’s men.

The traditional Tipperary-Kilkenny rivalry has been to the forefront, not just since Ryan took charge of the Premier County over two years ago, but during his spells on the management team of Liam Sheedy from 2007 and later when Eamonn O’Shea was in charge.

Ryan guided Tipp to their 2016 All-Ireland final win over Kilkenny in his first season in charge and doesn’t subscribe to the view that the Cats are in decline after a disappointing campaign last year.