Kilkenny machine clicks into gear ahead of championship
We were treated to another classic display of Kilkenny hurling yesterday of the modern age.
In characterising this Cats side the words that spring to mind are usually "tough" "uncompromising" "ruthless" "devastating" and "winners".
Despite the absence of Brian Cody or maybe because the players wished to prove that it is them and not Cody that wins all
We have been told so often that to beat Kilkenny you need to avoid early and cheap goals yet teams struggle to contain their forward line.
Michael Fennelly clearly had a point to prove against the side that kept him out for 8 months of hurling yesterday and did so to devastating effect
Paraic Maher is a quality defender but Kilkenny and Fennelly made him look very ordinary yesterday.
For many to add back into the mix Henry Shefflin and other players such as TJ Reid and Richie power there is no way of looking past the defending All Ireland Champions.
That may be the case come September but Tipperay, who had to sub most of their starting forward line by the end of 70 minutes will come away with more positives than negatives from Sunday
The Premier appear to have got back some of the bite they previously had under Liam Sheedy built that was absent in the last two seasons.
The enigma of Lar may however be the one stumbling block on which Eamon O Shea,like Declan Ryan flounders.
Lar showed glimpses of his past form but at times also appeared to back away from the Kilkenny challenge.
It’s not known if he suffered the broken ribs while pinned on the ground by JJ Delaney but you can be sure that if that happened to a Kilkenny man the team would come out with fire in the minutes after to show "you don’t do that to a man on my team"
Lar was a bigger loss than Delaney yesterday as Tipp’s forwards lost their shape and composure.
He will be missing for the opening game with Liemrick but Eamon O Shea should only need to concentrate on getting Larry back to top form for the All Ireland final.
Yesterday was another enthralling battle between the top two sides in the country over the past 5 years.
