I think it’s fair to say that there has been a lot of doom and gloom over this past year due to the state of the nation’s economy. For many folk sport has become their one saving grace in these tough times. As weekends go the one just past you could say was just what the doctor had ordered.
A rugby grand slam after 61 years, a world boxing title landed and most importantly of all for Kilkenny our arch rivals Tipperary put to the sword in such convincing fashion. The nation ground to a halt last Saturday evening to watch the 'grand slam' decider and what a cliff hanger it turned out to be. For most Kilkenny people hurling will always be their number one sport but rugby in recent years is fast becoming everyone’s number two. The exploits of the late Ned Byrne, Willie Duggan, Mick Galway (now surely an honorary Kilkenny man ) and Ian Dowling in recent years have always
kept us close to this code. Boxing, too, is alive and well in the Marble City, the exploits of Paulstown's Darren O'Neill recently gave us something to shout about, national titles in any sport are not easily won. Before last Saturday night, Bernard Dunne - I think, wasn't everyone’s cup of tea. However by the early hours of Sunday morning all that had changed; with the world title belt around his waist he too had become a darling of the nation. With the heroics of Saturday night out of the way, there was only one thing that could possibly cap off a great sporting weekend for Kilkenny folk and that was a victory over the old enemy Tipperary. It was amazing how the exploits of Saturday had given everyone such a lift, you could sense the feel good factor in Nowlan Park on Sunday. Browsing through the programme I couldn't help but notice the report of Kilkenny's emphatic league victory against the Premier county in 1988 a whopping 14 points divided the teams on that occasion. A quick glance at the team sheet of twenty-one years ago saw many of Kilkenny's favourite sons playing that day...Fennelly's, Henderson's, Power's and Joe Hennessy had given Tipp a day to forget back in '88. However, this kick in the backside didn't do them any harm as the Premier men went onto contest the All-Ireland that same year.
Kilkenny's form this year had been patchy enough until their last encounter with Galway. The westerners showed little resistance that afternoon, so people were still a little cautious before last Sundays encounter with the Premier men, especially after they had got the better of us on home soil last year. This current Kilkenny squad obviously took exception to that defeat because what happened in Nowlan Park last Sunday was driven by pure revenge. Revenge is a huge motivating factor in any sport, even with the game in its infancy it was becoming obviously that the All-Ireland champs had been looking forward to setting the record straight. The 17-point victory was beyond our wildest dreams. It speaks volumes for the squad when you can go to war without five current All-Stars and still dish out such a trouncing. Kilkenny were simply in a different class last Sunday, a solid defence gave plenty of ammunition for Kilkenny's lethal forwards to work with. To be frank I'm finding it hard to report on this game because it was over as quickly as it began. Tipperary never showed up and Kilkenny showed no mercy. Martin Comerford set the goal fest in motion in the fourth minute, and it was added to by Aidan Fogarty moments later, after Richie Power had delightfully put him through. Power again was to the fore for number three when his 60-metre dash left him in the clear to handpass to the unmarked TJ Reid whose exquisite overhead pull gave Brendan Cummins no chance. Even at this early stage it was game, set and match Kilkenny. We could sit back and relax under the March sunshine and enjoy some of the skills on display. Tipperary showed no heart for battle on the day, their halfback line was totally ripped apart, conceding four goals and six points. Martin Comerford netted a hat-trick and as someone was quick to point out to me on Monday morning it was his first, since his days of playing soccer with Freebooters. However, on a serious note it was great to see him back to his best. I'm sure he would be the first to acknowledge that last year wasn't his greatest. The likes of TJ Reid, Michael Rice, Eddie Brennan along with ‘Gorta excelled on the day.
I can't put my finger on it but something just wasn't right with the Premier men, they arrived late, having had a puck around in St Kieran's College. The management team left the halfback line intact for the entire first half even though they conceded 4-6. Richie Power was allowed saunter 60 yards up the field unchallenged before giving the pass for TJ Reid's goal. Anyone that has ever been privileged to have played Tipperary in a league match knows this is not the norm. If this was a horse race they surely would be pulled up by the stewards under the non-triers rule. The only conclusion I can come to is that Liam Sheedy was unduly worried about last Sundays game. It must be remembered that they flew through last year’s league only to be wiped out of Croke Park by Waterford in the All-Ireland semi-final. A league victory will not keep the Premier county happy this season. I honestly think he will be looking to see how they react to last Sunday’s humiliating defeat, you could say he's testing their metal. It still looks odds-on that these two sides will make it to the league decider this year; could Tipperary manager Liam Sheedy be trying to pull a fast one? Even if he was, there is no match for Kilkenny when they are in this sort of mood.
