Shefflin: I was right to play

Henry Shefflin is adamant that his decision to start Sunday’s All-Ireland final weeks after damaging his cruciate ligament was the right thing to do.

Shefflin lasted just 13 minutes of the eight-point defeat before he was forced off with a recurrence of the knee injury he sustained against Cork last month.

The 11-time GAA All Star stressed that the knee felt comfortable in the build-up to the game and after coming through two training sessions he felt he was ready for Sunday’s final.

“Obviously people will say now it wasn’t right starting but it felt good,” Shefflin said.

“I had trained twice on it and I was down at home pucking around. I did that numerous times.

“I just went for the ball and I went around Shane McGrath, pivoted off my left foot and whatever was hanging on went at that stage.

“I just knew straight away that was it.

“Obviously it was very disappointing and very disappointing for everyone that helped me get on the field just to only last 10 minutes.

“John Tennyson obviously lasted the game so it was right to start and it was the right thing and, again, it just didn’t work out and that’s the way it goes.”

Shefflin is expected to waste little time in undergoing surgery to rectify the damage and will play no part in Ballyhale Shamrocks’ bid for a fifth Kilkenny Senior Championship in a row.