REID: THE CATS ARE READY TO POUNCE AGAIN
TJ REID has played down the talk of Kilkenny building a new team and said the future is now. The former Hurler of the Year has been in majestic form this spring as Kilkenny have defied relegation whispers to set up a League quarter-final against Offaly on Sunday, but Reid doesn’t seem surprised by how quickly things have come together given they were champions only in 2015. ‘Look, we won the AllIreland that year. Yeah, there are new faces around but we still have that panel that won the All-Ireland back in 2015, so that’s still there. Last year didn’t work out the way we wanted it to work out and these things happen.’ It’s clear he regards last summer as an aberration rather than a sign that Kilkenny’s power is on the wane, exiting the Championship via the qualifiers against Waterford, the earliest exit of Brian Cody’s reign. Last Sunday against Wexford, Reid bagged another dozen points, the 10 from placed balls only one aspect of a classy personal display. The impact of some of Kilkenny’s young guns though has been another stand-out feature. ‘It’s up to myself and the experienced lads to drive the whole thing — myself, Wally [Walter Walsh], [Cillian] Buckley. It’s up to us to keep that consistently there in games and if we have Pat Lyng tipping few points over, Richie Leahy tipping a few points over, Mossy [Martin] Keoghan tipping more points, that’s what you need. You can’t beat putting pressure on those young lads.’ Leahy’s contribution was particularly telling, hitting three stunning points in the first half to keep Wexford at arm’s length. ‘Richie Leahy, he’s a star, a fitness freak there at midfield. He has legs to burn and a great head on him. ‘Those boys are around, minor, Under 21. Those boys will have the names, the likes of Tommy [Walsh] and JJ Delaney in years to come,’ he added. Meanwhile, Limerick and Offaly were the winners yesterday in the coin toss stakes, which will see both counties enjoy home advantage in this weekend’s Allianz Hurling League quarterfinals. Offaly host the Cats and Limerick take on Clare, while Wexford are home to Galway as Tipp travel to Dublin. ALLIANZ NHL QUARTER-FINALS Sunday: Offaly v Kilkenny, O’Connor Park, 1.00; Wexford v Galway, Innovate Wexford Park, 2.00; Dublin v Tipperary, Parnell Park, 3.00; Limerick v Clare, Gaelic Grounds, 4.00 NHL DIV 1A RELEGATION PLAY-OFF Sunday: Cork v Waterford, Páirc Uí Rinn, 3.00 NHL DIV 1B RELEGATION PLAY-OFF Sunday: Antrim v Laois, Dunloy, 2.00