Eoin Cadogan: Kilkenny may be ready to shock the world

Kilkenny's biggest attribute is how Brian Cody refuses to bend the knee (or hand) for anyone. I have spoken about a team's belief in the system and process, but Kilkenny’s primary belief is in their manager

RUTHLESS: Kilkenny manager Brian Cody during the Kilkenny GAA Pre All-Ireland Final press event at Langton House Hotel in Kilkenny. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

“ I am not the guy who is going to go out and shout 'we are going to conquer the world'. But we will conquer the ball? Each f*cking time! 

- Jurgen Klopp 

Conquering the ball. Is there a better description of how efficient this Limerick team are with the ball in hand? Very rarely are the green machine relying on big moments of genius from any one individual. They have exceptional talent and skill throughout but most importantly they have everyone operating to the one system, and all on the same level - all in sync regardless of who is on the field at any given time. 

Ask yourself, what way will Limerick line out in Sunday's All-Ireland final and how will they set up? Nine out of 10 would be able to accurately predict, which begs the question: If everyone knows what’s coming systematically and team-wise, how is nobody stopping them?

One of Limerick's greatest attributes is their ability to adapt to the situation in front of them. Over the past five years, they have dealt with opposition teams playing sweepers, bringing manic pressure, they've been down to 14 men and come from behind in games that looked lost. 

Have no doubt these scenarios are often spoken about in the group through the medium of Caroline Currid, and then executed on the training ground through Paul Kinnerk's small-sided games, game-specific scenarios and manic internal pressure from a squad all chomping at the bit to make an impression.

Similar to physical training, you’re always trying to shock your body with a stimulus the body isn’t accustomed to. At the start it’s uncomfortable, but over time you adapt and become acclimatised to what’s being asked of your body.

The minds of the Limerick players are the same. No panic because they have felt it, learnt from it and feel comfortable in these situations during in-house training and games.

To make Limerick uncomfortable you have to hit them with a shock to the system they have not experienced before. Rarely do we see any lack of composure or expressions of anger towards each other during these challenging moments. Whatever curveball a team comes with it must question them, challenge them and once the chink is exposed, plant the foot on their chest. 

Many have tried and failed, except one — Kilkenny.

Kilkenny's biggest attribute is how Brian Cody refuses to bend the knee (or hand) for anyone. No matter what the system is, no matter who the opposition is, Kilkenny are playing their way and anything you want to throw at them will be returned with relentless pressure and work rate.

Let the outcome be the outcome, but the honesty of effort will be unwavering. I have spoken about a team's belief in the system and process, but Kilkenny’s primary belief is in their manager.

That truculence can come at a cost. Going toe to toe is admirable but an opposition with the calibre of the Limerick attack will hurt you and hurt you bad without some sort of plan to negate the danger inside. 

We saw that first hand in 2016 when Kilkenny pushed hard on Tipperary, leaving acres of grass in front of Joey Holden and Paul Murphy. Inevitably Tipperary's inside line of Seamus Callanan, John McGrath, and John O'Dwyer came away with a huge scoring contribution to finish the game. The game has adapted and changed and so has Brian Cody, albeit marginally.

With Limerick's belief in holding their positions, Brian Cody has a trump card here in having the ability to control how he matches up his forward unit to dictate the terms. I think we'll see Eoin Cody, TJ Reid, and Adrian Mullen all position themselves, at different stages, on Dan Morrissey’s wing. Galway's Tom Monaghan caused trouble in the semis so watch Kilkenny looking for a chink down that flank.

A thought. All year everyone has been bringing their half-forward line deep into the central areas of the field. In doing so, they are leaving outstanding strikers of the ball in Diarmaid Byrnes and Declan Hannon free to hold their line and be sitting in that quarterback slot to receive balls back out of the chaos, giving them heads-up time to ping long diagonal balls to the inside line. 

Especially on pucks outs, Limerick have not been especially discommoded by opposition wing forwards running towards their own goal for balls. For Kilkenny whoever is marking Byrnes needs to change the rules of engagement. Rather than those lateral runs, maybe run towards the D diagonally. It’s a huge gamble to leave a man that close to goal free and he would need to be marked. In doing so if he follows it should free up a channel of space to run into or to come onto the ball. 

Kilkenny must know: Repeating the mistakes of others is doomed to fail.

For John Kiely, the only question is who does he start at 15? The toss of the coin is between Graeme Mulcahy, Peter Casey, Cian Lynch, or David Reidy. All four offer something different. Mulcahy will go unnoticed amongst the stars but John Kiely won't need reminding of his 17 tackles in that 2018 All-Ireland final and his work rate coming from deep to turn over the ball. Casey, Lynch, and Reidy all offer something different by playing in behind the half-forward line, linking the play and running hard at goal. Looking at Lynch in the semi-final, I didn’t think he was going full throttle.

A bad hamstring creates little doubts about those max sprint efforts required for championship hurling. Starting Lynch and losing him to injury would be sure to swing the momentum in Kilkenny's direction. For me, Mulchay starts. You need those workers harassing defenders from behind and turning the ball over every bit as much as you need the shooters.

The age-old traditionalist in Cody will have his backs all with specific man-marking roles. I’m expecting Huw Lawlor to go after Gillane, Butler to pick up either of the quartet mentioned above - Lynch, Mulcahy, Casey or Reidy - should they be floating and Walsh to pick up Flanagan. 

Both Flanagan and Gillane are big men and powerful in the air so as good as Butler is, Cody could have concerns about the height advantage the Limerick duo might have.

Richie Reid will continue to hold that central position but what’s critical for this to continue to work well is that when Kyle Hayes floats, Conor Browne must pick him up. Browne would have the athleticism to keep with Hayes and those driving runs from deep. Deegan will try negate Gearoid Hegarty and Carey will pick up Tom Morrissey.

All the stars are aligned with Limerick. In essence, everyone had this Kilkenny group written off earlier in the year. They needed time to develop, we were told. But the time is now and they are waiting quietly and patiently. 

For me Kilkenny have the tools to create the biggest upset. The side that conquers the ball will thrive. They may just conquer the hurling world with it.