Aug 27

Bred and Built to Last in Kilkenny

Talking Balls Comments
King Henry announces that contrary to reports he WILL be playing on Sunday week. Well, one of him will.
Is it the way they breed them? Or is it what they feed them? For the best part of this decade we have looked on in wonder as Brian Cody assembles another production line hurling unit made of indestructible skill, power and pace designed to dismantle all-comers.

Who outside of Cork wasn’t purring and gloating at the Cats destruction of the Rebels in the All Ireland semi final? The latest exhibition of power and pace on the hurling field. It may be hurling alrite, but it’s a different game to the one everyone else in the country is playing.

The downside to the game was of course King Henry’s injury which is set to rule him out of the All Ireland Final Drive for Five.

Not so according to 8,000 witnesses who turned up last night at Kilkenny training, only to watch the King score 0-3 and play his full part an an in-house match.

Shefflin has apparently been receiving intensive treatment from Ger Hartmann, the Limerick based super physio. How can this be?

Did they keep some of the spare parts leftover the last time they operated on him? Did they tissue engineer a new knee? Or perhaps they cloned a new Henry, as skilful and influential as the last?

Whatever the case, the next time someone goes down with a cruciate, Henry has raised the bar, but then the Kilkenny hurlers tend to do that don’t they. We’re backing Henry to complete his own personal two in a row and Kilkenny to get their five.