KILKENNY COULD BE without two of their most experienced men for this year’s All-Ireland final, with Jackie Tyrrell and Richie Power both facing a race against the clock.
Speaking after Sunday’s victory over Waterford, Cats boss Brian Cody revealed that the Allstar pair are still doubts for the decider on 6 September.
Tyrrell is due to see a specialist this week as he continues his recovery from the ankle stress fracture which ruled him out of the semi-final.
Power hasn’t featured yet this season due to a knee injury but Cody remained hopeful that both will return to training ahead of the showdown with Tipperary or Galway.
“Jackie is seeing a specialist on Tuesday,” he said. “We’ll know more then.
“Until then, he’s a wait-and-see job. We’re all hopeful.
There’s what, four weeks till the final? Certainly we’re hoping he’ll be back in contention.
On Power, he added: “Richie has put in a huge amount of work. He’s working very hard and he is progressing.
“There’s club matches next weekend and we’re hoping that Richie will be able to get back into training but that remains to be seen.”
Cody also praised both Richie Hogan and Michael Fennelly who battled through serious injury concerns to play 70 minutes in Sunday’s win.
Hurler of the year Hogan scored 0-5 from play but revealed afterwards that he had needed multiple painkilling injections in the week leading up to the game.
“On Wednesday, things didn’t look well for him at all really,” Cody said.
“I think it’s huge testament to the sort of fella he is and the character he showed.
“He just put his head down and he just wanted to get himself right and the attitude he showed was top class also.
“The expertise of our medical team was absolutely crucial.
It was a serious, serious position we were in a few days ago.
“Michael Fennelly has had problems for a long, long time. Essentially the last game was played was against Wexford, which was a long time ago now.
“He really didn’t take part in hurling training, at all, to be honest about it.
“And to have played and give the performance he did tells a fair story really.”
Hopefully the two lads will be available for the final. Jackie is a massive player generally v Tipperary and Richie had had success v Tipp also. But will Tipperary be there at all?
think tipp could be caught cold by Galway, will be interesting. if tipp come through that I highly fancy them to take Kk, think Jackie will be too busy fixing his hair and practising baseball to make final
Wow you just owned Jackie with that zinger yawn,same all anti Kilkenny crap from ya
n o hualligh is obviusly one of these anti Kilkenny people who does not appreciate or recognise hurling skill and pure ruthless physicality
It’s reported that Cody said “Michael Fennelly has had problems for a long, long time. Essentially the last game was played was against Wexford, which was a long time ago now. He really didn’t take part in hurling training, at all, to be honest about it.”
That’s raises a serious question on the dept of the KK panel outside the top 15. To admit that fennelly was that hampered and they still picked him over players who have trained continually over a 6/7 week period is very interesting fact!
And he was class !!!
Good !
They have to have richie power