The inimitable Ger Loughnane has sat down with the GAA.ie for a long conversation that was published last night. There is much to draw out of the interview, but it is Loughnane's comments about Kilkenny and Brian Cody that will presumably echo longest into the summer.
In typical Loughnane fashion, when discussing the merits of Kilkenny 3.0 under Cody, he has managed to lavish great praise while in the same breath throwing serious amounts of shade (or at least what reads like shade on a digital page). Loughnane's words below:
I would say this. Looking at Kilkenny now and their personnel, there is no way that Kilkenny should be winning the All-Ireland. There is no way this Kilkenny team should be going for three-in-a-row. Three-in-a-rows were so hard to get before Brian Cody came along. And teams that won three-in-a-rows were legendary teams. Now the present Kilkenny team is functional beyond belief, and they're getting the best out of what they have to an extent that no-one else could do other than Brian Cody. But, at the same time, a team with that talent should not be winning an All-Ireland. I have no problem in saying that. They should not be winning an All-Ireland with that team. Totally dependent on TJ Reid, one forward, and maybe Richie Hogan as well.
Emphasis ours.
Let's just go through this: Loughnane is basically saying that Kilkenny won the last two All-Ireland's with one and a half forwards. It's all part of a massive complement to Cody's ability to motivate, inspire and strategise but it's also quite bluntly, a massive dis to Colin Fennelly, Richie Power, Walter Walsh and Eoin Larkin, not to mention the Kilkenny midfield and halfback line, who seemingly are just 'functional' hurlers.
We share Loughnane's sentiment that this Kilkenny team lacks the legendary status of past three-in-a-row teams but, as the cliche goes, you can only beat what's in front of you. History will remember the 2014 All-Ireland final as one of the greatest hurling matches ever played. Kilkenny managed 3-22 that day with one and half forwards. Not bad when you think of it.
