By Michael Fennelly

The Kilkenny players and management would have felt bittersweet after last Sunday’s drawn Leinster SHC Final with Galway.

They’ll bitterly regret not taking opportunities in the first half to give them a four or five-point lead which would have put them in a strong position at half-time.

But snatching a draw in the end with 3 late points gives them the sweetness.

Both defences were well on top throughout the game with exceptional fielding from all the backs.

Brian started a wild card in Billy Ryan who wasn’t on the 26 panel the last day. We have seen this time and time again where a player no one is expecting starts. Even the players themselves can be in shock of an introduction like that but that’s Brian.

Billy came off with two points and could have had another two. He looked sharp on Sunday. Starting a player like that can be a head-wreck for a corner back as he may have never seen Billy play before.

Knowing the style and form of your opponent is very important at this level. The game itself lacked speed and excitement at times as it was very much stop-start with a number of wides and poor sideline cuts.

It felt like both teams were quite wary of each other and that’s to be expected. There was plenty of work, heart and tackles which is what you normally see from both teams. Galway will still be favourites for the replay e on Sunday and may be happier taking it to Thurles where the field may not be as big.

Jonathan Glynn has recovered from a hamstring injury which he sustained against Wexford and added another route for Galway’s attack on Sunday when he was introduced.

His aerial dominance may prove significant in Sunday’s game and possibly a start in the replay is not out of the question.

Both teams have strong benches and id expect to see the likes of Richie Hogan being introduced a bit earlier this time.

It’s great see the likes of Daithi Burke and Walter Walsh going head to head and no doubt we will be in for another big tussle the weekend.

We may see one or two changes in the both teams in the forward line on Sunday but no doubt both will utilise close to their 5 substitutes option.

TJ was back to himself on Sunday and the likes of Croke Park is made for players of his quality. His hand pass to Ger Aylward in the first half couldn’t of been any more accurate and his point to level the game it is as sweet as you will find.

One thing he won’t be happy about and he mentioned it after the game in his interview was the shot for goal which was head high. There’s no better player to pick his spot and go low when it comes to goal scoring.

That’s a very important point for any young player at any level. When I saw him bringing it on to his left I would have put money on him to finish it as that’s the kind of player he is.

Hopefully he’ll be in the same form on Sunday but he will need support on the scoreboard from the other forwards. They’re all putting in the hard yards but Galway had all 6 forwards getting their names on the score board on Sunday.

I expect a more hostile game on Sunday as both teams have warmed each other up.

Intensity will be ramped up again and we should see more than 18 points on the score board this time.

There’s more pressure on Galway this Sunday but they may have learnt more on Sunday than Kilkenny.

It’s not an ideal situation for the losing team who will be out again the following week In the qualifiers.

Who would of thought at the start of the year Kilkenny were league champions and drew the Leinster final with Galway.

That’s a true testament to Brian’s management ability as he’s in his 20th year of managing Kilkenny.

There’s no major weakness in either team so hard work will have a lot to say in Sunday’s Leinster final replay. The last replay for Kilkenny isn’t a fond memory in terms of my own injury against Waterford in 2016.

A win that day was a must after our poor performance the week previous against Waterford. Even with a huge performance that day in the replay we only managed to scrape over the line.

Another unusual memory of that day was Shane Pender handing over a €10 euro note to one of the lads 5 minutes before we were heading out onto the field.

We had a penalty shoot-out weeks before in Carton House where we all contributed €10 for the winner. Shane didn’t have the €10 that day but low and behold weeks after it he decides to pay his debt five mins before we go to war head out in the All Ireland semi-final replay!

That’s Shane, a chilled out character who doesn’t let much faze him. You couldn’t make that stuff up!

Cork deserving Munster champions

Sunday's provincial finals were very different in so many ways but one commonality between all four teams was an abundance of hard work. As expected, the Clare and Cork game was free flowing with high scoring and the Leinster final was more stop-start with plenty of knocks and hits.

Many predicted a Clare win in Munster due to the loss of last year’s Provincial Final to Cork. They also had a solid Munster campaign this year after beating Tipperary and Limerick in the latter stages in of the group games.

The Banner were coming and everything was teed up for a just a fourth Munster final medal in over 100 years, but my gut was telling me a Cork win.

The game started with a Banner explosion. Their body language was hugely positive and confidence flowed throughout the team from numbers one to 15.

They were first to every ball and sending in really good deliveries to the inside forwards. John Conlon had six possessions which equated to 6 scores. The man was on fire and looked unstoppable.

Normally Podge Collins and Shane O Donnell would be awaiting the breaks but Conlon took on the responsibility himself. That strike on the left-hand side reminded me of a golfer smashing the driver shot on the tee box.

Clare were pumped and very much on top across the field. They smothered Cork’s forwards with some diligent defending and worked very hard turning over the ball. To me, Cork looked really flat and casual and that was even indicated from the throw in.

At 35 mins Cork were down by 8 points. Most teams would hope for half time to come but not Cork.

On the 36th minute, Harnedy latched on to a Nash puck out and set up Luke Meade for a goal. Cork followed up with another point to bring the deficit down to 4 points before half time whistle.

Hoggie (Patrick Horgan) and Seamus Harnedy in particular kept the rebels in the game in the first half.

This was the killer blow for Clare as they should have been 8 points ahead at half time. Even with the Cork rally, I felt Clare looked like a team who would go from strength to strength in the second half but Cork had kept in touch with little energy expenditure in the first half.

The second half showed us a recurring Cork performance that we have become accustomed to over the last 18 months. Excellent fielding followed by excellent stick work followed by a score.

Lehane was beginning to come more into it and Coleman was getting more on the ball after a switch to half back. Kingston was making his presence known with his strength and speed but for me Hoggie and Harnedy were the real difference.

I counted three stages where Hoggie was isolated and surrounded by 2 to 3 Clare backs with nowhere to go. Hoggie hasn’t the speed anymore to get away from players but with his experience and cuteness he manoeuvred 3 frees.

Those scores were so important to Cork at crucial stages of the game. Harnedy’s dominance in the air was also a huge factor and his ability to take on the responsibility to score himself.

You would have to ask the question what happened Clare? Missed frees by Peter Duggan in the second half that might have settled the ship didn’t help, and ball into their first-half star Conlon dried up completely.

A move to centre or half forward for Conlon should have been an earlier consideration. It’s all well and good in hindsight to make statements like this but it was sticking out like a sore thumb in the last third.

As I stated in my last article, Clare still have a very strong team and should learn from the Munster final loss and have a strong say in the qualifiers.

I still think they’re in the top 3 to win the Liam McCarthy cup. Tony Kelly’s non-existence in the game with the exception of the hand pass to set up the goal is a major problem for the Banner.

He’s a top-class player as we all know but out of form at the minute. If he can find that form he has shown before then Clare can become a real threat for any team.

I have to mention Fitzgibbon’s contribution as two of his scores from the same spot on the field were sublime.

Cork now find themselves one game away from being in an All-Ireland final just like they were last year, and doubly determined to take the next step they failed to back then.