Kilkenny hurling folk are worried.
There were claims floating around the hurling world announcing Kilkenny’s downfall after Tipperary’s breakthrough All-Ireland triumph in 2010.
‘That team are getting old, there’s not long left in them.’ reasoned critics. Tipperary, meanwhile, were set to dominate.
Three Liam MacCarthy’s in the next four years put those claims swiftly to bed.
The Cat’s nine-point loss to Tipperary in last year’s All-Ireland hurling final, however, coupled with an indifferent Allianz League campaign this year had Kilkenny hurling folk legitimately uneasy.
Saturday night’s defeat to Wexford, their first loss to the Model County in the Leinster Championship since 2004 has really set the alarm bells ringing.
Questions have been asked regarding Brian Cody’s ability to tactically cope with the modern game.
Questions have been asked about whether Kilkenny have the upcoming talent to match other ascending counties, such as Wexford.
Cody’s unusual deployment of Padraig Walsh, a man who broke his ankle a month previously, in a forward role, where he looked way off the pace didn’t help to answer these questions.
Nor did the positioning of Conor Fogarty, one of the game’s best midfielders in the full back line.
Two substitutions were made before the half-time interval.
It all just didn’t make sense for the 11-time Champions since Cody’s arrival. Kilkenny hurling supporters aren’t used to being worried.
Various solution have been floating around the county.
None of them were even anywhere remotely related to Damien Hayes’ off-the-wall advice to Brian Cody on The GAA Hour Hurling Show on Thursday, however.
Damien Hayes reckons the retired Jackie Tyrrell is the answer to Cody’s problems.
“I see Jackie Tyrrell on the Sunday Game doing the analysis. I say to myself what if Jackie Tyrrell was full back for Kilkenny last Saturday night. You’d have Murphy one side of him and Fogarty the other corner back. They don’t have a strong full back line there at the minute,” claimed Hayes.
The 4-time All-Ireland club winner with Portumna wasn’t done there, however, he argued that Richie Hogan should be relocated to the half back line.
“I’m going to throw another spanner into the works, they’re not getting the best out of Richie Hogan, so what would I do? I’d put him wing back. I’d give him a new lease of life. I’d put Padraig Walsh back in his best position at wing back. He needs to rotate his team,” said Hayes.
Hayes believes a wing back role, or even a role as a sweeper, would rejuvenate the Danesfort club man, who admittedly hasn’t been matching his form of previous years recently.
“The reason why I would put him back there is because he’s not on the ball enough in the last couple of games. He hasn’t been at his best. So I would try to give him a new lease of life. I know that Richie Hogan is a really, really good player. Even a role like Wexford have as a sweeper at the back (would suit him)…try get him into the game, try get his confidence back. I bet you one thing, if Riche Hogan was listening to this podcast he’d say ‘I wouldn’t mind a run back wing back because it’s just not happening for him. All he needs is a change.”
It’s unlikely that Hogan will be looking at a switch to the backs any time soon, but the Kilkenny Cats certainly need to do something to stem the tide.
Listen to the lad’s chat about Kilkenny hurling, and much more right here.
