'All-Ireland semi-final day is just a day for winning'

GAA:BUSINESS TAKEN care of, Brian Cody could afford to reflect on the talk that has occupied the hurling nation. Dublin have been the breath of fresh air that the championship required but ultimately, it is all tilting towards a Kilkenny-Tipperary final.

“There was a lot of talk about that I presume,” Cody admitted afterwards. “That expectation has been there all the year. The first half of the equation is ready. The second half we will see next Sunday.

“Personally I just look at all matches at this level as 50-50 matches so I presume nothing. But players have to be mature enough to deal with that kind of stuff and to alienate themselves from that kind of idle talk.

“You buy into that at your peril and I don’t think it was a factor really. I suppose there is a hold-back factor in the All-Ireland semi-final because you lose and your year is over and the excitement of preparing for an All-Ireland final – every player loves that. But you know, the All-Ireland semi-final day is just a day for winning a match. So the talk beforehand – I don’t think it is a problem.”

The Kilkenny manager is no stranger to these post-match questions and answers and the odd thing about yesterday afternoon was the dearth of questions: the match went so much to form that there were relatively few talking points. So conversation – and the Kilkenny man did his best to keep it up – turned to statistics. Just six frees for his team!

“Mmmh. How many were Waterford awarded? 14? It sounded like that. It felt like that on the sideline. It is baffling. Baffling. Confused. Can I go further?

“I never criticise referees . . . but it is hard to figure really.”

Kilkenny opened up a nine-point lead in the second half but were never allowed to run away with it. It was no stroll.

“We were never comfortable really,” Cody said. “ With 10 minutes to go, a goal for Waterford opens up that game. And they had a lot of ball obviously. And we had a lot of wides. We got nine points ahead and never went below five. But hurling is a game where a goal comes and a second one can come quickly. So relaxed? No.”

Relaxation is for October.