Old Cats for the well travelled road

Kilkenny… 1-25

Clare… 1-22

In the aftermath of Kilkenny’s victory in the Leinster SHC Final against Galway, one photo in particular attracted mass attention. The chap from Bredagh in Co Down who was kitted out as TJ Reid for a stag do, and because of same was able to blag his way past security and stewards and blend in with the celebrating crew. Including the man in homage to whom he was togged out. Which is where the much talked about snap arose.

However, it was another one which caught this writer’s eye. One posted by TJ’s wife Niamh of the couple with their young daughter with the Bob O’Keeffe Cup. Mrs De Brun-Reid simply captioned the shot “Days Like This” and anybody who has ever been involved with a successful GAA team – or indeed a team in any sport – knew exactly what she meant.

TJ is 35 now. Regrettably for the game of hurling and those of us who adore it, reality is that he has more of his career behind him than in front. So days like the one in question are definitely to be cherished. Though looking from a neutral, unconnected seat, it would be ventured today was even better.

Clare did very little wrong. A couple of rancid decisions by a referee woefully out of his depth went against them, but, in the context of the 70-plus minutes, Kilkenny did to them what they have been doing to teams for generations – hunted them down and suffocated the life out of them.

Oh, and there were moments of sublime brilliance in there too. Perhaps the best of them in the very last play of the game. When Eoin Murphy miraculously, incredibly managed to turn away a volley by Clare’s Peter Duggan that Novak Djokovic would have been proud of.

Rarely if ever have I seen a GAA match where both custodians could and should have been the front runners for the Player of the Match accolade. Yet such was the catalogue of custodial class constructed by both Murphy and Eibhar Quilligan between the posts for the Banner County that it was both a shock and disappointment when neither man was picked.

Not that I am for a second doubting the credentials of Eoin Cody, 1-5 from play speaks for itself, and Mikey Butler, David Blanchfield, Adrian Mullan and TJ would also have been worthy of consideration – as would Adam Hogan, Conor Cleary, David Fitzgerald, Peter Duggan, Cathal Malone, Shane O’Donnell and Mark Rodgers on the Clare side. But not giving it to either of the ‘keepers missed a chance to do something unique.

Quilligan made his first pitch for the gong when heroically thwarting Cody in the first half before denying a Reid-driven bullet after the break.

Earlier, thanks mainly to the latter-named Ballyhale pair, Kilkenny led by 0-15 to 0-10 at the break and, but for Quilligan’s excellence between the posts might have been out of sight.

Now, it wouldn’t take Stephen Hawking levels of intelligence to decipher that it doesn’t take much to get Brian Lohan reved up, so it was always going to be on the cards that his players would be fit to go through brick walls when returing from the Jaffa Cakes.

They did more than that, mind you, much more. They looked back to see how big the hole was and went back with the pry bar to widen it. Points from the burgeoning Rodgers, Fitzgerald, the (expertly) subdued Tony Kelly, Diarmuid Ryan and David Reidy before the next turning point in another Croker cracker arrived.

One of the myriad factors which enthrall about the mercurial Shane O’Donnell is his spring off the ground and thereby his ability to deal with high ball for a man of diminutive stature. Using exactly that, on several occasions, the full forward grabbed possession and looked to head straight for Murphy’s territory.

Any of us who were fortunate enough to witness O’Donnell’s hat-trick fuelled demolition of Cork in the 2013 All Ireland Final Replay knew exactly what he had in mind every time he got the sliotar. On the one occasion he did escape the shackles of the clawing Cats he blasted past Murphy to tie the tallies at 1-20 apiece.

However, the expected kick on from Lohan’s lads never materialised and instead it was a case of the old Cats for the well travelled road. None more than TJ, whose ferocious appetite and willingness to track back and do the ‘dirty work’ belies all that he has won in the game.

But then, it’s that willingness to go for those extra inches which separates the great from the good. And it wasn’t only the greatest scorer the game has ever seen. Walter Walsh, Cillian Buckley and Padraig Walsh boldly went where those of greater ego wouldn’t go. Though being the sentimental softy that I am, without question the biggest psychological lift of the day for the black and ambers was surely the return of the great Richie Hogan.

Bedevilled by injury over a number of years, the pocket rocket is also entitled to a bit of Croke Park redemption after being hit by a scandalous red card against Tipperary in 2019. His cuteness in winning a free down along the Cusack Stand of the few pivotal inches that went Kilkenny’s way when the fat was in the fire.

Some of them hard earned by years of nous and knowhow, others contentiously and erroniously sent in their direction by the overwhelmed match official. If Lohan and his crew are honest, though, they didn’t help their own cause much either.

The malaise of poor shot selection which hung around them all summer wafted around Jones’s Road for all to inhale. Worse than that from a Clare perspectice, the Harry Potter of hurling – Mr Kelly – was again held captive in Hogwart’s tower by the half blood prince, Mikey Butler.

With all the planets aligning for those from the banks of the Nore, the last thing any opponent needs is the Ballyhale brigade hurling like men possessed. Which they all were, you suspect for different reasons.

For Adrian Mullen, you suspect it’s a case of trying to make up for lost time having been hounded by a succession of injuries. Eoin Cody’s motivation, as well being Captain, may be to finally establish himself in his own right – as if he hasn’t already – and emerging from the shadow of his illustrious uncle King Henry.

Outside of the Shamrocks set, I feel Huw Lawlor is also worthy of individual commendation. The O’Loughlin Gaels player took on no easy task in assuming the No. 3 jersey in the famed stripes, thus following in the boot prints of luminaries like Pat Dwyer and Noel Hickey and JJ Delaney.

For TJ, though again none of us want to contemplate a hurling world without him, you wonder is he throwing an odd eye at Father Time realising opportunities to bolster the honours list are never guaranteed.

Lawlor, though, has at times come in for a lot of stick since taking on the role. Just like Joey Holden did before him.. That said, also akin to Holden, the former has eventually settled into the task, is becoming the dominant, commanding figure every full back should be and, to the one working eye of this observer, is nailed on to hold the edge of the square on the All Star team.

Before we get near any of that, mind, there’s what could be one of the great All Ireland Finals to look forward to. The irresistable force collides with the immovable object. The spectacle we will be blessed to observe will be the shrapnel flying in all directions from the collision.

Personally, though, it’s the battle of na mBainisteoiri to which I am most looking forward to. John Kiely reminds me greatly of Sir Alex Ferguson. Obsessive, forensic attention to detail and complete backing of and trust in his players.

With Derek Lyng, yes, he has absolutely put his own stamp on things. Loading his forward line with massive men. Not only that, but giants who can hurl with with the dexterity and fluidity of the Riverdance cast.

All the while, mind you, the imprint of having served his time under the great man in the baseball cap shines through his team’s performances. Ravenous hunger, selfless, sinew-straining commitment, and a time honoured recipe for success predicated on aerial domination.

The stage is set, something has to give. The magic will be in finding out what. Brace yourself and enjoy!