The players may have changed a bit since he came in, but the strong focus remains the same according to selector Michael Dempsey.
"Obviously there is a great tradition in Kilkenny. One of the reasons they are so successful is nobody gets carried away because there is always somebody before you who has also achieved honours.”
This in mind keeps the players very focussed which makes them a dream to work with says Dempsey.
"So obviously this particular group are hugely focussed. They are clearly an exceptional bunch of hurlers, but from my point of view and all the management’s point of view they are a dream to work with because of their commitment and obviously because of the high skill levels that they have. It isn't really like work at all to be involved with them,” he said. "What you could say is that when you are winning it is easy to have that sort of harmony.”
Dempsey understands that he’s in a fortunate position and other clubs don’t get the same rewards for their hard work. “You would probably have to take your hat off to the counties who are not as successful, but probably put in as much work as Kilkenny do — but look that's sport,” he said. “We are just lucky at the moment to be dealing with an exceptional bunch of players who have done themselves and their county proud and given so much entertainment to everybody.”
Twelve months on from another All-Ireland, it seems nothing has changed for Kilkenny and it has flown by for Dempsey who’s back where he wants to be.
"It's hard to know where the year goes, and it just seems to fly by. In terms of what actually has changed it's just great to be in the final again. The stakes and you can talk of five-in-a-row's or whatever, but for the majority of players it's just the honour of being able to take part in an All-Ireland final and the opportunity to go out and win it — because in its own right it's just a major sporting occasion and where else would you want to be.”
It doesn’t matter who has gone before or who says one player is more important than the other according to Dempsey the All-Ireland is just as huge for one player as it is the other.
“The public and the press can have their chat about why this man is so important and why that player is more worthy than the ones that have gone before etc. But for the players any All-Ireland is huge and at the beginning of the year that's what you train for."
