‘DON’T COUNT THE CATS OUT’
Aylward’s message to rivals
‘Limerick did well but reality is there’s not much between the teams’
IN A contest that will take some hyping, Ger Aylward has more to play for than anyone else in this weekend’s exhibition clash with Galway in Sydney. It is quite literally a world away from the muck and grime of a Walsh Cup tie which usually rings in the preseason, as the teams will feel the sun on their back when they tog out in the inaugural Wild Geese final on Sunday. But Aylward will hardly need the sun to feel the heat as he seeks to get his inter-county career back on track after three injury-ravaged seasons. The 26-year-old could be forgiven for thinking that it was an age ago when he was hailed as hurling’s latest bright thing when he lit up the 2015 summer. He stung Wexford for 3-5 in his Championship debut, setting the perfect tone for a summer that would end with an All-Ireland medal and All-Star. But what came so easy to him in his rookie season has eluded him ever since. This summer he started in just three of Kilkenny’s seven Championship games — was replaced in two — and managed to score just 1-1. There is context for his struggles. His career was derailed by a cruel cruciate knee injury in 2016 and full fitness has proved to be elusive ever since. ‘It has been very frustrating, very frustrating,’ admits the Glenmore clubman. ‘The hamstring went straight away the minute I came back. I nearly pulled it off the bone and that was another six weeks out. ‘After that I did my shoulder so it was just all sorts of hardships after coming back from the knee. ‘Hopefully everything is alright now again. I’m going well and I’m hoping I can stay right for the coming season, touch-wood.’ His inability to stay fit enough to get a run of games will hold the key as to whether he can bounce back to the kind of form he showed in 2015. It was beyond him this year. He had to wait until the final regular round game against Wexford before he made his first appearance since the previous July. He limped out of the League semi-final against the same opposition, denying him the confidence of being part of a Leaguewinning team. And when your gametime becomes scarce, then every chance you get you simply have to take. Time and Brian Cody waits for no man. ‘Look, 2015 was a great season but I’m only trying to get back to that now because I haven’t been there for the last two years. ‘Getting back to that level is what I’m aiming for but the first thing I have to focus on is getting my place on the panel and then just drive it on from there. ‘A lot of new players have come in and they’re bringing more talent to the thing all the time so we all have to be all on our toes. ‘Those boys coming in are driving us all on.’ Those in Kilkenny looking at the glass half empty might be tempted to suggested that they have a lot of driving to do if they are to close the gap with the leading pack. Despite Kilkenny’s League success, they trail Galway, Tipperary, Cork and Limerick in the betting market — but that ignores the fact they were within a puck of a ball of beating both Limerick and Galway this year. ‘We were very close to Galway in the Leinster Final and gave them a very good run in the replay. ‘We could have pipped Limerick. They did very well to come back and get that point at the end that pushed them on but the reality is that there’s not much between us. ‘If we can just get a little bit extra this year then hopefully we can go all the way.’ And no-one can be hoodwinked into thinking that what happens this weekend will have any bearing on how the new season will shape up, but Kilkenny’s mantra under Brian Cody is that a game not worth winning is not worth playing. It has served them well over throughout their most decorated years. ‘We’re back into it now looking ahead to 2019 so there’ll be no friendlies, we’ll be taking it very seriously, as they will I’m sure. ‘We have to get back to the standard where Galway have been for the last two years. This is the start in terms of trying to do that.’