Eight going on nine.
Kilkenny were a team transformed in the second half of today’s All-Ireland hurling final but it had nothing to do with Brian Cody.
Many expected the legendary boss to bring out the Noreside version of the hairdryer for his players as they trailed by 1-8 to 0-14 at the break.
Even we were wondering what the now 11-time All-Ireland winning bainisteror may have said to his charges to inspire them to a 1-22 to 1-18 win this afternoon. However, it turns out he didn’t say a single word.
Instead, thanks to a wonderful interview by Colin Fennelly afterwards, we now know that the inspiration for Kilkenny’s second half domination of Galway was all down to Jackie Tyrell.
Speaking to RTE after the game, the Ballyhale forward revealed that Tyrell, as well as Michael Fennelly and Richie Power, all spoke to the rest of the squad.
“Jackie Tyrrell at half-time, the speech he made was absolutely amazing.”
“The speech at half-time was absolutely unbelievable. He spoke to us all. He spoke for about a minute or two and every word he said, he had the hair standing on the back of my spine. It was unbelievable what he said.”
Tyrrell was an unused sub for today’s game having broken a bone in his foot before the semi -final win over Waterford.
However, it seems the fire to win a ninth All-Ireland medal is just as great as the desire to win a first, and the James Stephens man was an inspirational figure in the dressing room at the break.
“He spoke, Richie Power spoke and Michael Fennelly spoke. They’re probably the three senior lads on the team and they spoke very well. Whatever they said to us went through to us and we went out and did the business in the second half.”
Fennelly expanded on what was said in his post-match interview on Newstalk
Fennelly: Cody stepped out at HT, Jackie Tyrell "roared us on". "This is not what we're based on, you hit each other harder in training"
— Off The Ball (@offtheball) September 6, 2015
H/T RTE
