Kilkenny will contest the Leinster hurling final for the fifth consecutive year, but recent performances have worried pundits and fans around the country. They will now go into the final against Galway on the back of two defeats in their past three games.
The Cats were upended at home by a hungrier Wexford team last Saturday evening, and doubts are again creeping in about the direction the county is heading in.
Speaking to the RTE GAA Podcast, former Kilkenny player Jackie Tyrrell questioned Brian Cody's game plan and team selection after the defeat.
"I thought it was a very disappointing performance from Kilkenny on a number of folds....I thought Wexford out worked us, I thought they were in our face. I thought they won the actual physical battle encounters."
The nine-time All Ireland champion also singled out Kilkenny's style of play and wondered why his former side continued to play long high balls into a Wexford full back line known for their ability under high balls.
"When the pressure was applied to Kilkenny, we went back to our old failings again of, how many long aimless balls have we hit down the throat of the Wexford defence. You're looking at a defence of Matthew O'Hanlon, Paudie Foley and Liam Ryan. Three oustanding lads in the air."
Jackie Tyrrell on Kilkenny's team selection
Tyrrell also expressed his disbelief at Pádraig Walsh's late introduction to the game in the 67th minute and admitted that he thought the two-time All Star was injured when he didn't see him starting the game.
It was the first time during the Leinster SHC that Pádraig Walsh hasn't started.
"Pádraig Walsh came on in the 67th minute. I actually thought he was injured cause he wasn't on. I like 'Brian is after dropping him.' Because the pressure was coming on in the second half, I said we're going to see Pádraig. He must have been injured, he must have done something in the warm-up. Next thing, 67th minute, I look up and Pádraig's coming on. I was like, what's that all about? It was so, so strange," said Tyrell.
Jackie Tyrrell then spoke about the form of Walter and Pádraig Walsh heading into the final and has labelled Galway as "favourites" ahead of the game.
" Walter (Walter Walsh) and Padraig (Walsh) are so pivotal on the half-forward line and they're not really firing for us at the minute so we're probably going into the Leinster final having never been so uncertain of where we are, our best team, of what our midfield looks like.
"Like midfield and half-forward line is like a revolving door with lads coming in and out." he added.
Kilkenny fell to a narrow one point defeat at the hands of Henry Shefflin's side at the start of May, but if Tyrrell's views are anything to go off, they will have a lot of work to do if they're to win their third Leinster SHC in a row.
That said, you can count Brian Cody's Kilkenny team out at your own peril.
You can listen the full episode of the RTE GAA Podcast here.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/17UzehWf43mQjPMz5VX2EQ?si=e13a312ca6254969
See Also: The Story Behind One Of The All-Time Great Post All-Ireland Final Celebration Moments
