BRIAN CODY IS an old hand at winning All-Ireland semi-finals.
He’d guided Kilkenny senior teams to twelve victories in such encounters before yesterday and needed some luck to claim the 13th on a sodden day in Croke Park.
But all those previous glories didn’t influence his mindset when plotting on how to take down Limerick. Simply trying to avoid the ‘sheer devastation’ of defeat drove him and his side to survive a ferocious battle for supremacy.
“If you start thinking about something you won before, what good is that to you today, or this year? Our previous victories mean nothing right now if we had to leave here today (having lost).
“The fact that we might have won at other times wouldn’t be any good to me or to the lads either. It would be just sheer absolute devastation when you lose a game like that, and that’s what Limerick are experiencing. We didn’t want to experience that.”
Cody didn’t have to coaxed into admitting that this had been a tough test.
“It was as hard as you could get. I thought Limerick played outstanding, they threw everything at us and we were tested in every way. What shone through again was our absolute spirit to the end, competing manfully throughout the game.
“Tough conditions, it wasn’t a day you were going to do something terrific with the ball, but we were tested and we came through, thank God. It’s not all about doing something wonderful, or playing flowing hurling, which the conditions weren’t conducive to. We were a real team out there today, which is a good thing to be. It’s a tough one for them to lose and a great one for us to win.”
The Kilkenny hailed his side’s rearguard action while also tipping the hat to those that were sprung from the bench.
“It was excellent defending, a hook and a block and closing down, non-stop backing each other up. It was the genuineness from everybody – Colin Fennelly took a ball off our goal-line almost at one stage, and he was in the full-forward line then. That willingness to chase defined us, I suppose.
“That’s been going on for us right through the year, we have a decent panel and the lads came in. Richie was out a long time but he was moving well in the weeks he was back.
“His aerial ability was important a few times there for us and his overall skill. Henry always contributes when he comes on. It’s a great time for the whole county. To be preparing for an All-Ireland final is enjoyable.”
