Sharing a six pack..

MODEL OUT TO TOAST EVEN MORE SUCCESS OVER THEIR BIG RIVALS

BY the time Wexford and Kilkenny are done with their Leinster championship game on June 9, they will have met six times in just over a year.

So far, Wexford have yet to lose in that period and they are keen to keep it that way following years of big beatings from the Cats.

Back in January, Wexford talisman Lee Chin admitted they wanted to keep the foot on their rivals’ throat and give them no room for optimism.

But it’s hard to keep a team like Kilkenny down and all the indicators are that Brian Cody is building a strong new group.

They’ve been decimated by retirements in recent years but against Offaly in the quarter-finals had unfamiliar names like Darren Brennan, Conor Browne, Richie Leahy and James Maher in their ranks.

Leahy isn’t the most physical at midfield but looks a classy performer while Maher was every inch a top young forward before a horror knee injury in 2016.

Paddy Deegan, a versatile operator, has shown up well in defence too and started all six of their league games, one of just four players to do so.

Joey Holden, Cillian Buckley and Walter Walsh were the three other ever-presents in their Division 1A campaign.

Cody said after the two-point win over a gutsy Offaly: “We are seeing different lads on different days, we are in the League semi-final now, which is progress because after the first two games we weren’t being tipped at all to come this far.”

Cody had his tongue in his cheek because nobody dared to write off Kilkenny. But his men have had to dig deep to get this far, with key players missing and likely to be out for some time to come.

Paul Murphy and Colin Fennelly are away on army duty and aren’t expected home until early summer while Kevin Kelly is out until July with knee trouble.

Richie Hogan (left) has been battling a back injury, goalkeeper Eoin Murphy a neck problem while Conor Fogarty has had a virus. Walsh and Reid inspired Kilkenny in the tie against Offaly and Cody will demand more from those around them today.

The Cats also coughed up 1-19 to an Offaly side that cut through them at times and can’t afford to be as giving against a superior Wexford side.

It’s easier to predict what Wexford will bring to the occasion.

Unlike Cody, Model boss Davy Fitzgerald has relied on a small, tight-knit group know each other inside out.

They’ve only used 25 players in the campaign – compared to Kilkenny’s 30 – and eight of them have started all six of their games so far.

Sweeper Shaun Murphy is one of those ever presents and their counter attacking system continues to revolve around his clever defensive play.

Davy Fitzgerald has relied on a smaller pool of players than Brian Cody so farLITTLE & LARGE