BLUES IN SHAKE UP

Fennelly expects Dubs to give Cody a test

HAVING very much clutched hands with a Kilkenny man managing Galway last time out, Brian Cody will at least press the flesh with a Tribesman this evening.

It’s unlikely that Dublin boss Mattie Kenny will be fixed in the same icy glare as Henry Shefflin though if there is any hostility directed at him then it’s likely to be a positive reflection on his side’s work over the course of the evening.

As manager of Joe Mcdonagh Cup side Offaly, Michael Fennelly is trying to elevate his team to a level whereby he may share a Championship sideline with his old boss next year.

“When I was taking on the Offaly job I knew I wouldn’t be coming across Kilkenny a whole pile in a couple of years,” said Fennelly. “It’s very difficult to play against your own county.

“We are obviously seeing managers going into different counties, the likes of myself, Henry is with Galway, Eddie Brennan was with Laois previously and Dave Herity with Kildare.

“It’s always difficult playing against your own but that’s the game, you’re given a job to do and I suppose you have to do it to the best of your ability.”

The Cody-shefflin handshake drew much attention a couple of weeks back and Fennelly (right, launching the new Offaly sonsorship deal with Glenisk this week), as a long time teammate of Shefflin’s at club and county level and distant cousin of Cody as well as having played under him, is uniquely placed to comment on the dynamics of it. He still wasn’t prepared to delve too deep.

“To be honest, I haven’t read too much into it myself. It’s well in the past now. We don’t know what either of them were thinking. A lot of emotions going on, Henry has been through a tough time in the last month or so. Personally, I wouldn’t be reading a whole pile into it.”

Kilkenny romped to a 13-point win when the counties met at Parnell Park in March but Fennelly anticipates a closer encounter this evening, with a Leinster final spot effectively on the line.

“I expect very little between the teams. I think Huw Lawlor could be out with a hand injury as well, a huge loss. It’ll be a lot tighter than it was in the League.”

Fennelly was a Kilkenny player, albeit injured at the time, when Dublin scored their last Championship win over them in 2013 en route to their only Leinster title since 1961.

But they haven’t been back to an Allireland semi-final since losing to Cork that year and Kilkenny have won each of the six Championship meetings in the interim.

“If Dublin had got into that final and potentially won it, I think things could have changed for Dublin,” says Fennelly.

“Winning an All-ireland can create huge momentum with players. What you could find is other players dropping into hurling as well.”