By John Harrington

Kilkenny’s defeat to Westmeath in last year’s Leinster U-21 Championship was the biggest shock of the hurling season.

Liam Blanchfield played in the Kilkenny attack that day and the memory of the defeat is still a bitter one for the Bennettsbridge man.

He’s one of nine survivors from the starting XV against Westmeath that will line out again for the Kilkenny U-21s against Dublin in Wednesday night’s Leinster quarter-final, and he’s determined to make amends for last year’s defeat.

“The feeling at the end of your stomach after that match you don’t want to ever feel again,” says Blanchfield.

“We kind of look back on it and look where we can improve and what we can bring against Dublin now.

“It’s something you don’t want to look back on too much but at the same time you kind of have to remind yourself that you don’t want to feel like that again.

“You want to learn from things as a player and you want to be a better player and you want to grow and grow as part of a team as well.”

2016 was a year of contrasting emotions for Blanchfield.

The U-21 defeat to Westmeath might have stung at the time, but he rebounded impressively by establishing himself as a starter in the Kilkenny senior team.

It’s a testament to Brian Cody’s faith in Blanchfield’s ability that he handed him his full championship debut in the All-Ireland Semi-Final replay against Waterford.

“I was taken by surprise,” recalls Blanchfield. “It was in the training I think on the Tuesday before it and Brian Cody came up to me and said ‘how are you feeling?’ and I just said ‘I’m good, feeling good’.

“And he goes ‘you’re in corner forward. How do you feel now?’ I said ‘yeah, still feel good!’

“So that was it really, I was just excited for them few minutes but then you kind of have to get focussed and looking forward to the match."

Blanchfield more than justified the call-up by scoring three points from play as he unsettled the Waterford defence with his physical power and clinical finishing.

The manner in which the then 19-year-old embraced the occasion rather than be overawed by it was impressive for one so young.

“It was exciting for myself,” he recalls. “At the time going around in the parade before the match stadium was absolutely electric. It felt like the crowd was down on top of you. It made you more up for the match.

“I suppose after the game I was happy enough with my own performance so the main thing was that we got the win. I wouldn’t have minded playing bad once the team won but thankfully everything went well.

“After the game I can remember just looking around and just being swarmed by Kilkenny people it was brilliant yeah.”

It’s not all that long ago that Blanchfield was cheering on players like Richie Hogan and TJ Reid as a supporter, so at times last year it felt a bit surreal to be sharing a dressing-room with them.

“Yeah it’s crazy to think a couple of years ago, going to matches and seeing the likes of TJ, and Richie playing matches and to be togging out in the same dressing room is an unbelievable feeling because they’re lads that you look up to your whole life and it’s great to be in the same dressing room as them - let alone togging out with them.

“The thing that they can do with the ball is unreal. So you learn a lot from them you hopefully make yourself a better player. So I just want to improve the whole time by watching them and what they’re doing.”

Now in his second year in the Kilkenny senior panel, Blanchfield is feeling more comfortable in his surroundings.

He’s been joined there by fellow U-21 players like Jason Cleere and Pat Lyng and hopes they can all raise their level in 2017.

“I suppose the first year you would be very nervous. Now the second year you’re more settling into things and it becomes more of a routine. You’re not as nervous before trainings and things.

“But yeah there’s a lot of young lads coming in this year and it’s great because you want to mix experience with youth which is what most of the counties are doing now."

Kilkenny (U-21 v Dublin): Darren Brennan; Michael Cody, Conor Delaney; Ryan Bergin; Conor Doheny, Jason Cleere, Tommy Walsh; Huw Lawlor, Sean Morrissey; Pat Lyng, Luke Scanlon, Richie Leahy; Alan Murphy, Liam Blanchfield, Billy Ryan.