CODY WILL BE ‘MAD TO STOP’ DAVY, SAYS KEHER

EDDIE KEHER believes Kilkenny’s last round meeting with Wexford at Nowlan Park on Sunday will be the ‘game of the League’ and that Brian Cody will be ‘mad to stop’ Davy Fitzgerald from making it a fourth successive win. Wexford bridged a gap back to 1957 in beating Kilkenny in last year’s League quarter-final and then followed it up with a first Championship win since 2004 and a Walsh Cup final victory in January. And Kilkenny legend Keher is expecting fireworks. ‘I think it will be the most interesting game in the League. Wexford are going for four in a row of beating Kilkenny which is unique. I’d say Kilkenny are mad to stop that. It will be a great game. There’s great rivalry between Kilkenny and Wexford and Wexford have had the upper hand. ‘There’s going to be a fair battle from Kilkenny to stop them. Whether they do or not — Wexford are playing extremely well — I’ve great admiration for them. But they are there to be beaten if we can do it. I think it will be the game of the League.’ Speaking at the launch of the 19th annual KN Group All-Ireland GAA Golf Challenge, Keher was at the drama-filled Walsh Cup final when it all kicked off: Cody sent outside the wire by referee John O’Brien and then having a cut at Wexford’s players for trying to get opposition players sent off. ‘They are both passionate men,’ said Keher. ‘Davy (left) seems to have great time for Brian. As all of them have for one another. But I know myself, if I was on the sideline I’d be fairly passionate. ‘But when it’s over, it’s over. Davy came out very strong on that. There is admiration there from all of those guys.’ While he questions whether Kilkenny are in a position yet to win the Liam MacCarthy Cup for the 12th time on Cody’s watch, he admires how the manager has fast-tracked the development

process when many were quick to write Kilkenny off. ‘Well we weren’t expecting anything this year but they seem to be making strides. He’s been blooding in some younger players and they are beginning to settle in. They’ll be competitive this year, but there are better teams out there. I won’t expect them to go all the way but I think most Kilkenny people are pleased with the development of the team. ‘They said there was criticism of Brian Cody but I never saw that. I think people were very patient and realising that we had a great time over the last 15 or 20 years but we are going to have to go back and rebuild.’ As someone who rarely misses a game as a spectator, the player who held the all-time Championship top-scorer record until Henry Shefflin came along is impressed with the new kids on the block. ‘I’d mention my own club [Rower-Inistioge] first of all in Richie Leahy and Pat Lyng,’ continued Keher. ‘That young Martin Keoghan chap looks good. He played the last day and looked very confident. Then James Maher who is Pa Dillon’s grandson and his mother Jillian played camogie. ‘So there’s a bit of breeding there and that’s very important. I was very impressed with Conor Browne the last day, he played with great confidence for a young fella.’