WHO KEHERS WINS
EDDIE KEHER feels the weight of the sliotar needs to be increased slightly as point tallies in hurling continue to spiral.
One of the greatest players of all time and a dead ball specialist, Keher was overtaken as the leading Championship scorer ever by fellow Kilkenny man Henry Shefflin (left) in 2010 though there is a school of thought that either man was striking a very different object in their respective heydays.
Six-time All-ireland winner Keher said: “In our time a 70-yard, they weren’t scored all the time. You’d probably want to have a bit of a wind behind you.
“The centre-back would normally take the 70s. It’s 100 yards now that players can hit it over the bar.
“In one way you’d love to play with these sliotars and hurls at the moment.”
As for increasing the weight of the ball, Keher says: “Maybe slightly. Maybe the length they are driving the ball is a bit much. I hate to sound like an auld fella giving out about the present game because I think it’s fabulous. Very skilful.” KILKENNY legend Eddie Keher believes the Cats’ meeting on Sunday with Wexford is shaping up to be the “game of the League”.
Although Wexford have already booked a quarter-final spot with a game to spare, the fact they have enjoyed the better of this fixture of late after years of Kilkenny dominance makes it intriguing.
Last year Wexford dumped Kilkenny out of both the League and the Leinster Championship and while their most recent meeting, January’s Walsh Cup final, ended in a draw, Davy Fitzgerald’s side claimed the trophy after a free-taking competition.
It’s a run which Kilkenny will be keen to bring to a halt, Keher (below) believes, ahead of another meeting in the Championship on June 9.
“I think it will be the most interesting game in the League,” he said. “Wexford are going for fourin-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.
“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.”
Keher has been encouraged by Kilkenny’s recent form as they’ve picked up wins over Waterford and Tipperary after early defeats to Cork and Clare.
“Well we weren’t expecting anything this year but they seem to be making strides. He’s [Brian Cody] 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. They won’t be too bad, I won’t expect them to go all the way but I think most Kilkenny people are pleased with the development of the team.
“There was sort of a lull last year, 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.
“I don’t think anyone expected the rebuilding process to get to this stage so quickly.”
Having delivered 11 All-irelands as Kilkenny manager, Keher insists there is no risk attached for Cody in overseeing this transitional period. Failure to regain the title this year will make it Kilkenny’s longest drought since 1993-2000.
“We all know his passion around the game. The ancillary things don’t matter, he just wants to be involved in hurling and getting a team ready.
“I didn’t hear anything against Brian Cody. Everyone was sort of saying, ‘We’ve had a fabulous time, we are going to have to stand back and rebuild.’ And Brian Cody is the man to do it.
“They will give any team now a good run of it this year.
“I know it’s early days and we have problems in a few places to sort yet, but the rest of the team with the players they have at their disposal will make a good strong team.”
Most Kilkenny people are pleased with the progress..