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TJ Reid satisfied with latest Kilkenny success

TJ Reid scored 0-15 for Kilkenny against Tipperary at Nowlan Park.

TJ Reid scored 0-15 for Kilkenny against Tipperary at Nowlan Park.

By Cian O'Connell


“If you go back down through the years it is what won All Ireland Finals for us - it was our work rate and spirit and that attitude of never giving up,” TJ Reid remarked. In one sentence the prolific Ballyhale Shamrocks attacker captured why Kilkenny’s latest Allianz Hurling League triumph carried such importance.

Reid’s relevance to the triumph should never be underestimated either. The facts and figures will state that Reid’s latest 0-15 haul bringing his spring tally to 1-81, but his influence couldn’t be measured in scores alone.

It was the delivery, the execution, and the skill particularly in the opening period when Tipperary were beginning to acquire confidence. Reid mined three from play and a sideline cut just to ensure Kilkenny remained in the contest before seizing the initiative in the third quarter.

Ultimately, though, it was another Kilkenny victory carved out by sheer hard graft according to Reid. “The day you don't sacrifice yourself to run that extra 10 yards it could be a score, that time you don't go back to chase your man for a hook or a block it could be a score,” Reid states.

“You have to go every time and that is what Brian has built into this team and these players. It doesn't happen every game, every game is different, but it is fantastic result in Nowlan Park.

“To win the League Final in Nowlan Park, you will always remember these days - so you will. It is massive for us and it is massive for the county.”

Extra nuggets of satisfaction were available everywhere for Kilkenny on Sunday. Eoin Murphy, Padraig Walsh, Cillian Buckley, Reid, and Walter Walsh were instrumental in previous Kilkenny triumphs, but the emergence of a new crop is an exciting development.

“Yeah, for sure, a lot of the lads probably hadn't even experienced a League Final,” Reid replies. “From 2014 there is probably only a handful of lads that were on the panel in 2014 so it is totally new for them.

“These games are massive for confidence, bringing on these lads the likes of Mossy (Keoghan) growing in confidence with each game, Paddy Deegan lording it at corner back. These games will give massive confidence to these players, massive belief as well.”

The Kilkenny team before the Allianz Hurling League Final at Nowlan Park on Sunday.

The Kilkenny team before the Allianz Hurling League Final at Nowlan Park on Sunday.

Standards have been set in Kilkenny. “When you wear the black and amber jersey there is a bit of a reputation to uphold because Paddy is taking over from Jackie Tyrrell and we all know Jackie Tyrrell,” Reid adds.

“Conor Delaney is taking over from Tommy Walsh - big names to fill. What those lads brought back in the day was hard work and work rate and effort.

“All League we have been given it 100 per cent, our first two games didn't go our way, but after those two games we got on a winning track.”

Earning silverware is always important for Kilkenny with Reid delighted to secure a first League title since 2014. “ Four years ago was our last appearance in a League Final when we beat Tipperary on the same day,” Reid recalls.

“It was the same type of an atmosphere here and there was a special type of an occasion after the game with all the kids in the black and amber jerseys out on the field looking for pictures. That is what we train for, we train for these massive occasions and League Finals are big occasions for us.

“It was a great team performance by ourselves in the second half especially, but it will be a long year yet, though. We can't lose too much focus because the League is the League, but there is a long road left in the Championship so we won't get carried away with ourselves.”

Kilkenny thoughts are immediately switching to the new Leinster Championship format and Reid is excited about the prospect.

“Thinking myself to win the All Ireland this year we will have to play seven games,” Reid says. “Before you might only have to win four games if you were winning to win an All Ireland. It is going to be different, but this year I think the League was great preparation for ourselves.

Cillian Buckley captained Kilkenny to Allianz League glory on Sunday.

Cillian Buckley captained Kilkenny to Allianz League glory on Sunday.

“There was a game on each week, you can't dwell on a game too much if you a win game this week because you have one next week. You might have played well, but with a game the following weekend that has to go out of your head straightaway, to totally zone in on the next game.

“The summer is just going to fly by because you are not going to have time to dwell on games too much. It will be recovery during the week and then back to another game on the Sunday.”

Reid highlights Ger Aylward’s ill timed hamstring ailment as an example of why the depth of each panel is going to severely tested in the new schedule. “I suppose the only thing with injuries if you get a niggle, like Ger Aylward had a niggle there last week, he twinged his hamstring so unfortunately he missed the League Final.

“If you get a niggle like that you could miss some of the Championship, but I suppose that is why we have a big panel of players. Tipp used a big panel of players during the League as well, that could happen in four weeks time when we play Dublin.”

Challenges exist, but Reid acknowledges that lessons continue to be learned stressing the Allianz Hurling League Quarter-Final encounter against a pumped up Offaly.

“Anything can happen, we are in a good state, the League Final is great, but we can't get carried away with ourselves,” Reid comments.

“A few months ago we were written off, there was talk about us being relegated. The Offaly game in Tullamore was a big test, we only barely came through that and if we had lost that we mightn't be here.

“That was a great learning curve for ourselves because our attitude wasn't where it should have been and we nearly got caught.” Kilkenny survived and subsequently thrived with Reid staying classy and consistent. An intriguing Championship looms.