Pressure on to end title wait as Kilkenny playing catch-up underage 

The decade-long gap to the last Liam MacCarthy victory is the most glaring statistic but the dearth of success at all levels is startling.

TOP CAT: Kilkenny manager Derek Lyng is interviewed during a Kilkenny Hurling Media Conference at UPMC Nowlan Park. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

After last month’s All-Ireland U20 All-Ireland final defeat to Tipperary, a hurling roll of honour of the last 10 seasons landed seemingly in every WhatsApp account in Kilkenny.

It made for bleak reading. There languishing in last position alongside Offaly with one All-Ireland U20 title was Kilkenny. To emphasise the point, in the 10 previous years The Cats had won 11 (eight seniors, two U21s and three minors).