Shefflin to draw inspiration from defeats

Kilkenny forward Henry Shefflin will remember how bad he felt when losing to Cork in the 1999 and 2004 All-Ireland SHC finals when the two old rivals meet again this afternoon.

Shefflin's first season, back in '99, saw his All-Ireland dream collapse under a rain could as the heavens opened in the capital and Cork clung on to a 0-13 to 0-12 victory.

The weather was markedly better two year ago but the result was far worse for Brian Cody's Cats as the Rebels claimed a 0-17 to 0-9 to wreck Kilkenny's hopes of a treble.

Now Shefflin and and company can do the same to the Leesiders, who were winners again last September.

And the Ballyhale Shamrocks attacker, who seemed destined to finish as the championship's overal top scorer - he has struck 2-39 so far, will draw on those defeats when the sides renew rivalries at 3.30pm.

He said: "1999 - I can remember bits and pieces about it. It was a very bad day and the most vivid thing I remember is it lashing rain and Mark Landers lifting the Liam McCarthy Cup.

"That's the outstanding memory of that All-Ireland. It doesn't get any easier. It takes until the following year before you get over it.

"It's gut-wrenching. You train all year long and then it's suddenly snatched from you. You just want to get back out there and right all the wrongs - but that's all winter," explains Shefflin, who boasts three Celtic Cross medals from 2000, 2002 and 2003.

"I was unfortunate enough to lose a county final last year as well and it's not easy - you'd just love to get back out there and do it right again.

"When you see someone lifting a cup, you know it's gone then. There's nothing you can do about it and it really kicks in.

"It just follows on from there for the whole winter until you go back training again. Once you get back, you're trying to get there again."

Kilkenny are gunning for their 29th All-Ireland title today - their first was back in 1904 when they beat Cork 1-9 to 1-8 in the final.