WHEN HE SAT down to speak to reporters yesterday at the Citywest Hotel in the wake of his 11th All-Ireland senior hurling title as Kilkenny manager, Brian Cody spoke passionately about the imbalance that exists between club and inter-county GAA players.
Cody was asked about how inter-county championship structures can be improved, relating to recent comments from Kilkenny forward Richie Hogan, who said ‘I hate it!’ when asked for his views on the current format.
The Kilkenny boss was careful to point out that while he doesn’t have the answers himself, adjustments need to be made soon for the benefit of players at club level.
“I’m probably the worst person to ask how it could be improved. I don’t know because I don’t think about how it can be done,” said Cody, whose side were 1-22 to 1-18 winners against Galway in Sunday’s All-Ireland senior hurling final at Croke Park.
“I would like to see change definitely to it, there’s no doubt about that.
“I’ve said it before. But it’s a bigger issue, because to me, essential to the whole thing has to be the club situation. We’re all here after the All-Ireland final and every person there yesterday, and me obviously as much as anybody, there’s a club thing there for all of us.
“Richie [Hogan] would love to get more championship hurling, of course he would. But club players would love to get more club hurling in the summer. And it’s not enough just to leave things as it is. The time to change in everything that you do is when you’re going really well and things are good and strong.
“Yesterday’s match was a great game, the previous semi-final was a great game and last year’s All-Ireland finals were great games. That’s the time to see what can you do better.
“The whole club thing… everyone’s crying out for it. If you dilute the genuiness or the absolute importance of the club scene, and people pontificate about it and they talk about it, but the All-Ireland championship has to be condensed into a shorter period of time in some way.
“And again, I’m not the guy to give the suggestions, I don’t think about that. I’m really giving my opinion. I don’t have the answers at all for anybody. I don’t have the answers.
“I have a genuine instinct that club hurling and inter-county hurling, the mix is not right. We’re here today and Galway are over in their place and everybody has to go off and play club matches next weekend. That’s where our hearts are. But it’s tough going. And then they’ll play again the following weekend and the whole thing will be run off now.
“In Kilkenny the set-up is decent compared to a lot of counties, I would expect, but the people who have the ability and the responsibility to deal with this thing, they can’t just keep forgetting about it. They need to look at it.”
Cody also said he wouldn’t have any objection to the All-Ireland final being played as early as the beginning of August: “Absolutely. Definitely. No problem at all.
“Again, I’m not coming up with the solution, I don’t have the solution, but what I do know is this: the mix between club and inter-county is not as it needs to be, and club players are suffering. The mix is wrong, that’s all I can say about it.”
Regarding his future as Kilkenny manager, Cody said his recent retirement from his job as a school principal won’t have an impact on whether or not he decides to remain in charge of the All-Ireland champions in 2016.
Cody: “Not at all, it doesn’t change anything. Whether I was still principal in the school or not wouldn’t change how I fell about it. I was able to obviously marry both all along and it won’t have any influence on what I decide to do or not to do, whatever it is.”
Not the most suitable time, both teams are not in Dublin… Travel will be a nightmare…
I’m a neutral but that 5pm throw in is a scandal. Im surprised they didn’t try to make history and play it 7pm under lights , first All Ireland final at night.
at least its a saturday.
Must be trying to get people to stay th enight in the city. it’ll be a mad night in Coppers…
All games should be on a Saturday. Pain in the ass having to travel to Dublin in the first place but ya can’t even have a pint during/after the game coz you have to drive back for work in the morning. I for one am delighted it’s on a Saturday. Think the time is ideal too. not too late not too early.
Ah will ya shtop now!!!!
Come on the rebels
Good that the cork people get to spend another day in our CAPITAL city
We’re just coming up to add a bit of class to the place
So that’s everyone pouring out of Croke Park in the near dark at 6.30 heading for trains, buses, cars and hotels. People will still start drinking at 11 or 12 out of big match habit. This is a disaster
No matter what time of day or night, true fans of both teams will make the journey to soak up the atmosphere anyway…..if its anything to go by yesterday’s epic performance!
Well I’m just happy to see the ladies weren’t made to reschedule again this year, that would be totally unfair. And if my county were in the final I’d be there no matter what time the match was on at be it mid-day or midnight. Good luck to both teams.
I can’t believe people are axisymmetric crying about the time if the kick off. You will get home 2 goes later than you expected… 2 hours?? How many of you ‘supporters’ thought you would even be in a final in September? Personally, id rather have to go to bed 2 hours later than usual, to have a chance to win an All – Ireland… But that’s just me
It’s a throw in not a kick off
Cannot believe I wrote kick-off. My bad, I’ll just have to take that one on the chin.
If you want to go to Croker you will find a way!If not then watch it on a big screen in the local or at home.Either way teams will feel supported.Kids would be rightly delighted to stay up late on a weekend night and will remember it forever!Now quit moaning.
This forces many to stay overnight on saturday. Disgraceful decision and verging on the corrupt.
No it doesn’t there are late trains and buses running
Also these magical things called ‘cars’
I would say Bus Eirann and Iarnród Éireann will have late buses and Trains for the day.
Explain, please, how this is corrupt.
Away in Germany for the final, better start checking for Irish bars.
If you’re in Munich go to Kennedys. Other than that I don’t know.
Staying in dusseldorf, so if anyone has any suggestions that would be great
The Shamrock Bar, there has to be one there
O’Reillys in the Marktplatz. Great spot!
Oscar Wilde in Berlin. Seen two finals there. When Kilkenny thrashed Limerick and when they were last beaten by Tipp. Lively spot worth a look just off the Ubahn at Friedrichstraße
Typical of GAA… No thoughts for their life blood their supporters… Potential finish at close to 7pm.. Add in post match celebrations… Supporters getting Home at early hours of the morning On the roads at the most dangerous time of the week Sunday am….
Disgrace!!!!
5pm are they serious?? terrible blagarding of the fans
Lads I’m living in Korea… 8 hours ahead and I’m up in the morning at 5.30am everyday… there’ll be no sleep for me that night…
Ya poor bollix!!
Cork are going bring back our cup :) :)
Up the rebels :)
5pm in Dublin on a Saturday, nightmare. Poor fans travelling with small kids etc. Not ideal.
Shopping is huge on a sat in dub and the shops plus for congestion reason, that’s why it’s not at 3.30! The shops wouldn’t want the game early
Shops will be closed at 6, the match won’t be finished til near 7 o’clock.
Talking through your arse there the Luas and buses and trains aren’t affected by shoppers
It’s for congestion purposes! When I heard it was say I knew straight away it wouldn’t be 3.30 throw in at croke park
3:30 throw in every Sunday. Nothing to do with congestion.
Saturday is not Sunday and its in Dublin lol
Ian, true supporters still deserve to be treated better than this. 5 pm is ridiculous when you consider small children. What they give with one hand( ticket reduction etc . They have removed with the other. If Munster were playing Leinster and sky set it for 2 or 3 then that is when it would be played. Very bad decision and as a Season ticket holder I will have to think long and hard about going up for the replay because of this.
Ill take your ticket if you decide against.
What does the timing and tv coverage of a hypothetical rugby match have to do with it?
Croke Park was not sold out yesterday the attendance was 81366 there were about 1000 free seats
It was sold out, it just means 1000 or so tickets went unused ,season ticket holders and country board members not bothered to go
Lie down will ya..hurling is the best game in the world..just because ye jackeens are no good don’t mean you have to comment like that..
Sorry Pat? Is it Limerick you’re from? The ‘Jackeens’ matched you this year. We both won our provincial title, and we both got to the All Ireland Semi final.
Actually scrap that, who beat Limerick in the league final and got promoted to Div 1a? The ‘Jackeens’ did.
If we are no good please tell me what that says about you?
A lot of people on here moaning about ‘small kids’. If heading home at 7pm is too much of a stretch them I suggest they’re too small to be at the game anyway. It’s not a school night so they can have an extra sleep in the morning. That said, any 8yr old will be more than happy to sleep in the car after bring part of the big day.
A 3pm Sat throw in would lead to a very sterile atmosphere & exclude many from attending. The GAA get a lot of stick but I think they have this right.
So it’s going to be a late night
It’s not like Clare get to go up every year (we’re not Kilkenny more’s the pity)
Leave Dublin around 8pm after seeing the presentation
Home to Ennis before the pubs close
Spend Sunday preparing to welcome Liam home
#Upthebanner
This game should be done, Clare really blew that…
It just doesnt sound right. All Ireland final on a Saturday evening. Cant get used to saying it. At least the ticket prices are being reduced.
It should be in thurles or limerick
And people won’t complain about there not being enough tickets as its in a smaller stadium?
The time is fine..no problem with it. The M7 will be jammers again though…should be an extra lane either way all the way to the Cork turnoff at portlaois
An awful lot of country folk attending Gaelic and hurling have no interest in Coppers, pubs excetera. This is the GAA testing the waters for future later starts for tv purposes.
I for one hope it fails.
Late September with the shadows from the stands. I wouldnt rule out a Saturday evening All Ireland with floodlights.
They Talked to the Gards about it, well what’s the diff in having at 3:30 on a Sunday but not on a Saturday. Makes no sence.
Sunday is much much quieter than Saturday in Dublin .
I reckon its to get the get the supporters to spend money in Dublin, either on Accomodation, shops, or in the bars.
fans who arrive straigh tto the stadium and go home straight afterwards add nothign to the city but congestion.
Fans who spend a few hours or a night are much more benefical.
When are the tickets on sale , i know you have to be some kind of member of the gaa website to get them . But if anybody by anychance has 2 for sale please let me know :) or where i can buy some :) thanks