BRIAN CODY WITNESSED his Kilkenny stay alive in the 2016 senior hurling race today.
But it was a close run thing at Croke Park.
Their prospects looked precarious in the second-half of today’s All-Ireland senior hurling semi-final but the goal from Walter Walsh was crucial in enabling them to reel in a powerful Waterford challenge.
“Obviously we were chasing the game, you could say for certain and we never really got ahead in the game or anything like that,” remarked Cody.
“Probably the first time we weren’t behind was at the final whistle really. So it took huge effort to stay in touch in the game, to fight it out and to grind it out.
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“As the game went on, it was becoming a bit apparent that we needed a goal to really strike a blow because whenever we got within a point or two points or three points, they picked off some terrific long range points and really just kept that breathing space there.
“But we did get the goal, a very, very good goal. They responded with a point again and I think we got a great point to level it. We almost had another point then to win the game. (It’s) a serious game to look forward to again.”
Walter Walsh and Noel Connors after today's match Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Cody insisted he had never lost hope that his team could perform a rescue operation, even when they stared at a five-point deficit midway through the second-half.
“You could start to feel like that if you wanted to but I mean five points in a game of hurling is very, very little really.
“The goal would make serious inroads into that and it did but the points were coming so fast and furious for both sides really. As the game was nearing completion, a goal was obviously going to be significant and it was significant.
“But they were excellent today, they really put it up to us in a massive way. We fought out to the bitter end and we’ll certainly go again the next day.”
Waterford set up in a more orthodox fashion than previous games but Cody did not regard that as a tactical curveball thrown in their direction.
“No I wasn’t surprised. We spoke beforehand, we had no idea really what they were going to do. It’s their team, they’ve their players, they’ve very, very good players, they’re skilful players, very very flexible in their formation.
“What they did we couldn’t even begin to be sure about. I wasn’t even remotely surprised by that at all no.”
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Brian Cody: 'It took a huge effort to stay in touch, to fight it out and to grind it out'
BRIAN CODY WITNESSED his Kilkenny stay alive in the 2016 senior hurling race today.
But it was a close run thing at Croke Park.
Their prospects looked precarious in the second-half of today’s All-Ireland senior hurling semi-final but the goal from Walter Walsh was crucial in enabling them to reel in a powerful Waterford challenge.
“Obviously we were chasing the game, you could say for certain and we never really got ahead in the game or anything like that,” remarked Cody.
“Probably the first time we weren’t behind was at the final whistle really. So it took huge effort to stay in touch in the game, to fight it out and to grind it out.
“As the game went on, it was becoming a bit apparent that we needed a goal to really strike a blow because whenever we got within a point or two points or three points, they picked off some terrific long range points and really just kept that breathing space there.
“But we did get the goal, a very, very good goal. They responded with a point again and I think we got a great point to level it. We almost had another point then to win the game. (It’s) a serious game to look forward to again.”
Cody insisted he had never lost hope that his team could perform a rescue operation, even when they stared at a five-point deficit midway through the second-half.
“You could start to feel like that if you wanted to but I mean five points in a game of hurling is very, very little really.
“The goal would make serious inroads into that and it did but the points were coming so fast and furious for both sides really. As the game was nearing completion, a goal was obviously going to be significant and it was significant.
“But they were excellent today, they really put it up to us in a massive way. We fought out to the bitter end and we’ll certainly go again the next day.”
Waterford set up in a more orthodox fashion than previous games but Cody did not regard that as a tactical curveball thrown in their direction.
“No I wasn’t surprised. We spoke beforehand, we had no idea really what they were going to do. It’s their team, they’ve their players, they’ve very, very good players, they’re skilful players, very very flexible in their formation.
“What they did we couldn’t even begin to be sure about. I wasn’t even remotely surprised by that at all no.”
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Here are the details for the Kilkenny-Waterford All-Ireland semi-final replay
Limerick book second All-Ireland minor final in three years with victory over Dublin
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Brian Cody Hurling Kilkenny Waterford The Cats Survive