Kilkenny's lopsided loss to Clare in Ennis yesterday has been followed by a wave of comment speculating on the end of their long era of dominance.
As it stands, they are no longer All-Ireland champions, and are now in danger of getting sucked into a relegation playoff.
Added to that, they have only won one Leinster title at the U21 grade this decade and haven't won an All-Ireland at the grade since 2008. In mitigation, they did surprise Limerick to win the 2014 minor title.
On the Last Word tonight, Liam Fennelly baldly asserted that "the talent is not there in Kilkenny no more" and that the underage scene hasn't been strong for a few years.
As Joe Brolly erroneously said of Kerry a couple of years back, the production is line is finished. Or at least, it hasn't been churning out high quality products lately.
Eoin Larkin doesn't ascribe too much importance to Kilkenny's struggles at underage. During the game yesterday, he fired off a tweet in which he was deemed to have "slammed" the younger crop. The younger players were 'standing around' and leaning too heavily on their elders.
Not good enough from Kk.still reliant on experienced lads. Younger lads need to have the attitude NEVER give up.too many standing around
— Eoin Larkin (@11larky) February 19, 2017
He quickly clarified that he wasn't, in fact, slamming the younger players.
Jus to clarify things I'm not hammering young lads.but your starting block is work rate and hurling comes then.
— Eoin Larkin (@11larky) February 20, 2017
If you don't have honest hard work you have nothin
— Eoin Larkin (@11larky) February 20, 2017
Spoken like a man schooled in the ways of Cody. The deep-seated belief in the powers of "savage honesty" and "genuineness". Larkin talked some more about the legendary Kilkenny workrate on Off the Ball tonight.
My phone hasn't stopped going since last night. I was merely expressing an opinion. Other people have different opinions. I certainly wasn't slamming the younger lads. There's great young lads in there and it probably will take them time to adjust to inter-county level. I know I certainly didn't set the world alight when I started so.
No it certainly wasn't skill levels. I've seen those youngers players on development panels and they've bundles of skill. It wasn't that that frustrated me. It was literally the work rate. I expected a small bit more out of them yesterday.
On the issue of underage weakness, Larkin said it's less about the medals you win at underage and more about the way you develop as you get older.
When I came into the panel, we were after having a few lean years with under-21s and minors as well. It's just the way different players develop I think.
Given time, they may be even better than the players who went before them. But who knows. We'll just have to wait and see on that one.
Listen below:
