MANAGER BRIAN CODY played down his role in Kilkenny’s latest triumph after guiding his team to their 11th All-Ireland senior hurling title in 16 seasons.
The Cats rebounded from a below-par first-half performance to overcome Galway on a scoreline of 1-22 to 1-18 in today’s final at Croke Park.
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“We’re absolutely thrilled, obviously,” Cody told RTÉ. “In the first-half, Galway were outstanding, they really hit us, they really knocked us back in different ways, and we struggled to get into a rhythm, I suppose.
“We went in at half-time three points down and that’s not a bad position to be in. I thought the response from our players in the second-half was magnificent. I thought the relentless spirit and attitude and hurling, obviously, that they showed was top class. It was a hard-fought victory but a very, very sweet one. There’s no doubt about that.”
Despite trailing by 0-14 to 1-8 at the midway point of the game, Cody said his players didn’t panic in the dressing room at the interval.
“The players themselves would demand very high standards of each other. They demanded that and we all demand that from ourselves. Half-time was about making sure that we had the resolve to get in there and pick up our standards in all aspects of the play.”
Cody added: “At the end of the day, the game is always won on the pitch. It’s never won on the sideline. I’ve often heard people say it was won on the line. I’ve yet to see a match that was won on the line. Every match is won between both sidelines and the players do that. It’s about players, their response and their ability to respond.”
When asked where this latest victory ranks among its 10 predecessors, Cody said: “Right now it’s a brilliant one. Every year you win an All-Ireland final it’s just a brilliant feeling. I don’t rank them or I don’t take stock of them either, to be honest with you. It was just about winning today’s match. Winning the All-Ireland final is everything.
“I just came out of the Galway dressing room and it’s a horrible place to have to go to because it’s just so tough on the players. They’re skilled in so many ways and they put in so much effort the whole year to do it. We’re here as winners and it’s a terrific feeling, and the opposite is a shocking feeling.”
And as for whether or not he intends to return in 2016 for an 18th season at the helm, Cody responded in typically evasive fashion: “We’re going to enjoy this one anyway, thanks very much.”
Cody: 'I've yet to see a match that was won on the sideline'
MANAGER BRIAN CODY played down his role in Kilkenny’s latest triumph after guiding his team to their 11th All-Ireland senior hurling title in 16 seasons.
The Cats rebounded from a below-par first-half performance to overcome Galway on a scoreline of 1-22 to 1-18 in today’s final at Croke Park.
“We’re absolutely thrilled, obviously,” Cody told RTÉ. “In the first-half, Galway were outstanding, they really hit us, they really knocked us back in different ways, and we struggled to get into a rhythm, I suppose.
“We went in at half-time three points down and that’s not a bad position to be in. I thought the response from our players in the second-half was magnificent. I thought the relentless spirit and attitude and hurling, obviously, that they showed was top class. It was a hard-fought victory but a very, very sweet one. There’s no doubt about that.”
Despite trailing by 0-14 to 1-8 at the midway point of the game, Cody said his players didn’t panic in the dressing room at the interval.
Cody added: “At the end of the day, the game is always won on the pitch. It’s never won on the sideline. I’ve often heard people say it was won on the line. I’ve yet to see a match that was won on the line. Every match is won between both sidelines and the players do that. It’s about players, their response and their ability to respond.”
When asked where this latest victory ranks among its 10 predecessors, Cody said: “Right now it’s a brilliant one. Every year you win an All-Ireland final it’s just a brilliant feeling. I don’t rank them or I don’t take stock of them either, to be honest with you. It was just about winning today’s match. Winning the All-Ireland final is everything.
“I just came out of the Galway dressing room and it’s a horrible place to have to go to because it’s just so tough on the players. They’re skilled in so many ways and they put in so much effort the whole year to do it. We’re here as winners and it’s a terrific feeling, and the opposite is a shocking feeling.”
And as for whether or not he intends to return in 2016 for an 18th season at the helm, Cody responded in typically evasive fashion: “We’re going to enjoy this one anyway, thanks very much.”
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