WITH LESS THAN an hour gone in this evening’s All-Ireland SHC final replay, Brian Cody called time on Richie Hogan’s season.
But the move — to introduce Henry Shefflin — was no risk, according to the Kilkenny boss.
“Well you see, gambles don’t come into it because they’re not gambles,” he told Claire McNamara afterwards.
“They’re decisions that we make and that’s the way it works. People question all the things we do and don’t do and we just carry on and do what we want to do ourselves and that’s what we’re supposed to do.
“So I mean it’s not about vindication or anything, it’s about achieving what we want to achieve. We wanted to win the All-Ireland final, we wanted to win it the last day, we played excellently at times the last day, they played excellently at times the last day. They did the same today, we did the same today but we came out on top.”
He continued when asked about changes he made coming into today: “People have this obsession about settled teams as if you’re not supposed to do things. We can do what we want to do because we’re in charge of the team.”
Today’s win represents an incredible 10th All-Ireland in charge of the Cats for Cody. Will it be his last or will he aim for No 11?
“I have no idea because I mean I’m in this longer than 11,” he says. “I just do what I do… I’m not worried about how many there is at all to be honest with you. Today’s one is one today and last year’s one is one without. We’re doing what we’re doing where we’re able to do it and I’m not even considering anything. I’m looking forward to tonight to be honest with you.”
