Kilkenny manager Brian Cody is set to name his team tonight (Friday ) for Sunday's eagerly awaited All-Ireland Senior Hurling semi-final against Cork at Croke Park (3.30pm ).
It’s expected that Michael Rice will not start the game, with the Carrickshock clubman only having a plaster removed from his hand last Tuesday after suffering injury three weeks ago while in action for his club.
James 'Cha' Fitzpatrick is favoured to replace Rice and partner Michael Fennelly at midfield as a result.
However, Derek Lyng is also in contention for the midfield berth.
The sides last met in March in the league, with Cork prevailing by 0-18 to 1-13 at Pairc Ui Chaoimh; however the Cats had the upper hand in their last Championship clash — an All-Ireland semi-final tussle in 2008, with Cody’s charges claiming a 1-23 to 0-17 win at Croke Park.
The Kilkenny players have been keeping a reasonably low media profile ahead of the game, with full concentration on Sunday's semi-final date with the Rebels — a chance to keep the five-in-a-row All-Ireland aspirations alive, and to qualify for a eighth All-Ireland final in the space of nine years.
Key forward Henry Shefflin will be involved as a keynote speaker in coaching Ireland's 10th Annual Coaching forum on Saturday, September 11 at the new Convention Centre at Spencer Dock in Dublin.
The Ballyhale Shamrocks ace, who is Kilkenny's top-scorer this year (1-19 ) has praised Brian Cody for being one of the top coaches in the game today.
"I have been very lucky myself as a player to be involved under Brian Cody," Shefflin said. "He is absolutely excellent. Brian would be the first to tell you that he is there in the job 11 years and he has learned, and is still learning.
"I think that's what coaching is about, it's about learning as you go on. It's like being a player, you try and develop and I'm sure coaches try and develop as well.
"They get great satisfaction out of seeing a team develop, so it has been great to learn under him."
Kilkenny hurlers have been inactive from competitive action since their Leinster final win over Galway on July 4 — the longest break of all four semi-finalists, with Cork tasting three games since then; while Waterford and Tipperary have had two each.
The Cats have been plodding away on the training fields, but Shefflin says there's nothing scientific about his side’s preparations
"Everything is very well organised, there is a lot of myth around it (the training sessions ) too — it's not rocket science.
"It's just good honest effort. Everything is run very well and they (management ) know what it's about. That's their job and they have to be very organised, and they are. It makes the players enjoy it more when you know things are running smoothly and training goes a bit quicker (as a result ).
"Other teams are playing (practice ) matches and stuff like that and training, so you have to train as hard as you can.
"Training can't compete against matches at the end of the day, but if you get a high intensity it does help get you ready for the match day situation.
“Training definitely does evolve, but it is no different I suppose. Brian will always say that you have to have a good spirit at training and you need to work hard.
“Those are two key elements to it. You need to enjoy it as well, and once you are doing that and looking forward to big matches it makes it easier.”
