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CALM HEADS AT half-time helped to create the second-half storm with which Kilkenny blitzed Tipperary in yesterday’s All-Ireland semi-final, according to Cats defender Brian Hogan.
Despite leading by five points at one stage Kilkenny went in at half-time trailing by a single score, 1-10 to 1-9.
The Cats side which re-emerged for the second 35 was a different beast entirely as the All-Ireland champions showed their class and ran away to win by double scores, 4-24 to 1-15.
“At half time we weren’t hitting the panic button,” Hogan told TV3′s Kieran McSweeney afterwards. “We knew we had hurled well in spells and we just really needed to keep that up for the full 35 minutes of the second half rather than in patches.
“In saying that, we had created chances in the first half as well that we didn’t take. The difference in the second half was that we took them. I suppose as long as you’re creating chances, you’re never going to be too worried.”
Hogan and his counterparts in Kilkenny back lines were their usual solid selves but it was the forwards’ scorefest which stole the show.
“The forwards will take the credit alright,” the O’Loughlin Gaels man joked. “In fairness the lads were outstanding today.
“We know well enough, we’re marking them every night in training so we know what they’re capable of. It’s great to watch them reproducing what their doing in training every night when we’re trying to run after them.”
