By John Harrington

When you do the math, Derek Lyng’s commitment to the Kilkenny cause amounts to a tidy sum.

He played 10 seasons under Brian Cody from 2001 to 2010, winning six All-Ireland senior titles, five National Hurling Leagues, and nine Leinster titles.

A hip injury forced his inter-county retirement in 2010, but Cody brought him back into the fold in 2014 as part of his management team.

Lyng served six seasons as one of Cody’s selectors, before stepping down and taking on the Kilkenny U-20 hurling team manager’s position, leading them to the All-Ireland in 2022.

Then, when Brian Cody stepped down as manager after 24 years in charge of the Kilkenny senior hurlers, Lyng was swiftly appointed to replace him and has lead the Cats to Sunday’s All-Ireland Final against Kilkenny in his first season in charge.

So this is effectively his 10th season in succession working as part of a Kilkenny management team which is a huge commitment for someone with a busy day-job and a young family.

What is it that has motivated him to put his shoulder to the wheel to the extent that he has?

"I suppose I never envisaged...you know, you never set out saying you're going to spend x-amount of time in a role or in different jobs,” says Lyng.

“I started off as a selector not long after playing when I finished up with my club. I went in as a selector for a few years and then the opportunity came with the Under-20s, which I wanted to take on. I did that for a couple of years.

“Obviously when opportunities arise then...this happened last year, obviously Brian stepped away and that's how that came about. I never set out to kind of spend that amount of time, it's just the way it has happened.

“At the same time, I'm very fortunate and I feel very privileged to be in the role. That's what it has taken for me to get there and I'm happy with that. I thoroughly enjoy it. I thoroughly enjoy being part of the overall team.

“I'm hugely passionate about hurling and Kilkenny hurling. I suppose there are lots of other hobbies that I could be doing, but this is something I really enjoy."

It makes sense that the person best qualified to oversee a seamless transition from the Brian Cody era would be someone who worked closely with him like Lyng did for a significant period of time.

What did the apprentice learn from the master during his six seasons as part of Cody’s management team?

"Good question,” says Lyng. “I suppose I've been in his environment as a player and selector for such a long time. I suppose the standards he set for himself and everybody around him.

“We were always challenged as players and I think they were obviously the main bits. But you pick up bits and pieces here and there, different situations and that. Look, obviously he was a phenomenal manager.

“But I think it's important that you bring your own personality to it. I don't think you can go into a role and try to be somebody else.

“You'll be found out pretty quickly. Hopefully, you know, my intention when I took this on, you have ambitions of getting to finals and things like that, but the most important thing was to not let the standards drop.

“You'll be judged at the end of the year but that's something I'd be very conscious of, keeping those standards really high. Hopefully we're doing that so far but it's about maintaining that all the time."

In terms of developing his own personality as a manager, taking charge of the county U-20 team for those three years was an important step for Lyng.

It ended on a high with last year’s All-Ireland win, but there were some tough days along the way and few people would have been touting Lyng as a prospective Kilkenny senior manager when his U-20s failed to even reach a provincial final in his first two years in charge.

“I’d been five or six years with Brian at that stage (six) with a management team, and really enjoyed it,” says Lyng.

“I suppose some things happen in terms of a vacancy comes up, and you’d like to take the opportunity to put your hands up for it. I was fortunate to get it.

“And like, it wasn’t either easy. The first couple of years were quite tough. Covid years and that. We didn’t get good results. So, like, it can go two ways for you: at that stage it wasn’t looking too good in terms of you mightn’t get another job and that’s the reality of it. And the third year then obviously was more successful.

“But there’s a fine line. Here today we’re in an All-Ireland final and things are good. I’m quite conscious that things can change pretty quick as well; that’s sport and that’s the way it is, it can be a bit of a roller coaster at times.

“For the U-20s, even though it wouldn’t have the focus or the lens that senior does, it does prepare you in some ways in that I would have taken that role very seriously.

“You’re obviously very disappointed then when you don’t get the results you were looking for in the first couple of years. It’s the pressure you put on yourself then.”

2023 might have been Lyng’s first year as Kilkenny senior hurling manager, but the aim was always to get to Sunday’s Final.

It might be harsh, but the default attitude in Kilkenny remains that any year the Liam MacCarthy Cup isn’t lifted counts as a failure.

"It is harsh,” says Lyng. “And I think a lot of people would say, you know, 'you've done well to get to a final' or whatever. But I think for this group, for ourselves, we're really looking to put in a performance that wins us the game.

“That's the reality of it and that's what we're aiming for. I think the game is something that we have to attack, rather than fear, going into it.

“We obviously know that the team we're playing are outstanding. But that's the challenge that's put in front of you and you want to take it on.

“When you reflect on the year and you get an opportunity to win, you obviously want to take it with both hands."