IN 2016, A Kilkenny U21 team managed by Eddie Brennan suffered the ultimate humiliation.
They were dumped out of the Leinster championship by Westmeath and deservedly so. It was the Lake County’s first ever time to beat Kilkenny at any grade in the province.
The Cats team was filled with players who were All-Ireland minor champions two years earlier. The defeat sent shockwaves around the hurling world.
Brennan later admitted the defeat “made me reassess everything” about management.
“As a whole the players have learned a lot from that,” he said.
It was the sort of result that could damage a player’s confidence. There was a danger that squad would forever be branded by the defeat.
However, of the players who started for Kilkenny that night, seven made Brian Cody’s 26-man senior panel for the All-Ireland semi-final hammering of Clare.
An All-Ireland winning U21/20 team might be expected to produce six or seven players that go on to become regulars for their county. But Cody managed to get a rich harvest from that group.
Huw Lawlor, Conor Browne, Billy Ryan, Darren Brennan, Conor Delaney and Alan Murphy all successfully made the breakthrough.
Their captain that night against Westmeath was Paddy Deegan who has become a colossus on the half-back line.
“It was tough to take, but something you can take a lot of lessons from as well,” says Deegan, echoing the sentiments of Brennan.
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Paddy Deegan at Kilkenny's All-Ireland final press night. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
“You don’t need to be winning everything to produce great hurlers.
“My own club, O’Loughlin Gaels I would have grown up on a team that wasn’t that successful, wouldn’t have won a whole lot, and now we are competing at a high standard in Kilkenny hurling.
“I don’t think you need to be winning. Obviously it’s great to be winning underage.”
Deegan was overage the following year when Kilkenny put some demons to rest by reclaiming the Leinster U21 title.
“The first time I played them since was this year, in the senior,” he recalls. “In Mullingar, the same place.”
He made his senior debut for the Cats in 2017 and now forms a back line alongside fellow O’Loughlin Gaels men Lawlor and Mikey Butler.
“It’s great for the three of us,” remarks Deegan.
Butler drew plaudits in the semi-final for his man-marking job that took Tony Kelly out of the game. Butler might be the youngest of the trio, but he has been a fixture in the dressing room the longest.
Over a decade ago he helped out Kilkenny kit man Rackard Cody while he was still in primary school.
He fulfilled that role with the club team as well.
“I remember when we were with O’Loughlins we used to do the water for O’Loughlins as well. I have known Mikey for a long time, he’s a very good lad.
“He’s been a revelation this season – his performances with O’Loughlins have been excellent. He’s unfortunate in that he had a cruciate injury and at that stage he would have been looking to push on.
“Took a year off from there but was excellent in the club championship and would have benefited to a certain extent getting into the panel this year. He has a great attitude and it has paid off.”
Mikey Butler did a fine job tracking Tony Kelly. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
For a long time the Kilkenny defence was anchored by another O’Loughlins man, Brian Hogan at centre-back.
“He was a massive influence for all of us, probably more so myself and Hughie than Mikey because we were coming on to the team as Brian was going to retire.
“Himself and Gorta (Martin Comerford) were huge influences on us when we first came on to the senior. It is after benefiting us to get that chance to play alongside him.”
When O’Loughlins made a run to the county final last year, Deegan played a hugely effective role at full-forward. He shone against Ballyhale Shamrocks, firing 2-3 from play even though he fell on the losing side.
He says it was never a possibility of repressing that role with the Cats.
“I don’t think so. The club was as far as it was going to go. We were probably struggling to win ball with the club, probably thought with myself, I’d have a physical presence up there and cause a bit of trouble.
“It worked out. Obviously it was disappointing against Ballyhale. I enjoyed it.”
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Brian Cody's rich harvest from the Kilkenny U21 team that lost to Westmeath
IN 2016, A Kilkenny U21 team managed by Eddie Brennan suffered the ultimate humiliation.
They were dumped out of the Leinster championship by Westmeath and deservedly so. It was the Lake County’s first ever time to beat Kilkenny at any grade in the province.
The Cats team was filled with players who were All-Ireland minor champions two years earlier. The defeat sent shockwaves around the hurling world.
Brennan later admitted the defeat “made me reassess everything” about management.
“As a whole the players have learned a lot from that,” he said.
It was the sort of result that could damage a player’s confidence. There was a danger that squad would forever be branded by the defeat.
However, of the players who started for Kilkenny that night, seven made Brian Cody’s 26-man senior panel for the All-Ireland semi-final hammering of Clare.
An All-Ireland winning U21/20 team might be expected to produce six or seven players that go on to become regulars for their county. But Cody managed to get a rich harvest from that group.
Huw Lawlor, Conor Browne, Billy Ryan, Darren Brennan, Conor Delaney and Alan Murphy all successfully made the breakthrough.
Their captain that night against Westmeath was Paddy Deegan who has become a colossus on the half-back line.
“It was tough to take, but something you can take a lot of lessons from as well,” says Deegan, echoing the sentiments of Brennan.
“You don’t need to be winning everything to produce great hurlers.
“My own club, O’Loughlin Gaels I would have grown up on a team that wasn’t that successful, wouldn’t have won a whole lot, and now we are competing at a high standard in Kilkenny hurling.
“I don’t think you need to be winning. Obviously it’s great to be winning underage.”
Deegan was overage the following year when Kilkenny put some demons to rest by reclaiming the Leinster U21 title.
“The first time I played them since was this year, in the senior,” he recalls. “In Mullingar, the same place.”
He made his senior debut for the Cats in 2017 and now forms a back line alongside fellow O’Loughlin Gaels men Lawlor and Mikey Butler.
“It’s great for the three of us,” remarks Deegan.
Butler drew plaudits in the semi-final for his man-marking job that took Tony Kelly out of the game. Butler might be the youngest of the trio, but he has been a fixture in the dressing room the longest.
Over a decade ago he helped out Kilkenny kit man Rackard Cody while he was still in primary school.
He fulfilled that role with the club team as well.
“I remember when we were with O’Loughlins we used to do the water for O’Loughlins as well. I have known Mikey for a long time, he’s a very good lad.
“He’s been a revelation this season – his performances with O’Loughlins have been excellent. He’s unfortunate in that he had a cruciate injury and at that stage he would have been looking to push on.
“Took a year off from there but was excellent in the club championship and would have benefited to a certain extent getting into the panel this year. He has a great attitude and it has paid off.”
For a long time the Kilkenny defence was anchored by another O’Loughlins man, Brian Hogan at centre-back.
“He was a massive influence for all of us, probably more so myself and Hughie than Mikey because we were coming on to the team as Brian was going to retire.
“Himself and Gorta (Martin Comerford) were huge influences on us when we first came on to the senior. It is after benefiting us to get that chance to play alongside him.”
When O’Loughlins made a run to the county final last year, Deegan played a hugely effective role at full-forward. He shone against Ballyhale Shamrocks, firing 2-3 from play even though he fell on the losing side.
He says it was never a possibility of repressing that role with the Cats.
“I don’t think so. The club was as far as it was going to go. We were probably struggling to win ball with the club, probably thought with myself, I’d have a physical presence up there and cause a bit of trouble.
“It worked out. Obviously it was disappointing against Ballyhale. I enjoyed it.”
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