GAA Digest: Michael Fennelly hurt in Kilkenny National Hurling League win

Also Shefflin timetable, Harte extension and GAA shorts

Kilkenny were easy winners of Sunday’s National Hurling League final against Cork by a score of 3-21 to 0-16, but victory at Semple Stadium came at a price.

Hurler of the Year Michael Fennelly was stretchered off the pitch with a fracture to his right ankle as the Cats easily accounted for the Rebels in a one-sided final.

Fennelly was due to see a specialist on Wednesday, and Kilkenny secretary Ned Quinn told the Irish Sun, “We will have to wait to see, but at the moment he would have to be doubtful for the first game in the Leinster Championship next month.”

Fennelly joins Richie Power, Henry Shefflin, Michael Rice, Noel Hickey and Aidan Fogarty on Kilkenny’s growing injury list, but they still had too much for Cork after a blistering start in Thurles.

Forward TJ Reid admitted, “We don’t want more lads getting injured. But if you look at the bench there are a lot of strong lads there.

“We won the league final and we will have four or five lads coming back so hopefully we’ll be stronger come championship.”

Goal scorer Reid attributed his team’s ruthlessness to the battle for places in the side.

“I’m 24 now and I’m pushing on. I want to be getting a place on the team,” said Reid.

“Brian Cody always tells us that when we get the jersey we have to give 100 percent so we can hang on to it for the championship. Come championship, places will be up for grabs.

“You have to be performing well because if you’re not you simply won’t be on. I have to keep myself right and perform to my abilities.”

Kilkenny coach Brian Cody was his usual modest self after his team’s latest domination of a big game from start to finish.

“It was a good performance. I’m not trying to underplay it or overplay it, we went out and had a huge challenge,” he said.

“Cork were fancied by many people, understandably so, and the last day we met in the league they were better than us so I’m very happy with the way the game went.”

Cork boss Jimmy Barry Murphy described the nature of Sunday’s heavy defeat as a wake-up call for his relatively young side.

“It is a reality check. I’ve been on the receiving end of Kilkenny before but it is just very disappointing to be beaten by so much,” said Barry Murphy.

“I am disappointed for the team and the supporters. We were always going to get knocks on the way. We’re developing a young team and I’m just disappointed we didn’t show what we’re capable of today.”
Barry Murphy does feel the experience will stand to his players as they seek to bounce back in the upcoming Munster championship.

He added, “I think we were very nervous early on. We seemed a bit over-awed by the occasion but maybe it is a bit of a learning process for some of the lads.

“It is a steep-learning curve and we got a big knockback today. We can take a lot of positives from the league but the comprehensiveness of the defeat today certainly knocks confidence. I hope it won’t set the players back too much.”

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Nster.com