Young guns bring a real freshness

Ian O'Riordan talks to Richie Power of Kilkenny who insists they are serious about retaining their national league title

One of the drawbacks of this year's hurling league format - and as we know it hasn't been perfect - is the situation Kilkenny have found themselves in. They beat Galway back on April 2nd to book their place in the semi-finals, which means by the time they get to Thurles this Sunday to play Tipperary they'll have been left idle for three weeks.

Deferring a round of matches in Division One A added to the problem, although listening to Kilkenny forward Richie Power it sounds like the little breather has been put to good use. Kilkenny went unbeaten in Division One B and if Power has his way that will continue for another week at least.

"It just means we've been able to train away and just get ourselves ready for the semi-final," he said. "It's been something to look forward to and we were also able to play close attention to the quarter-finals. And we did start out with the ambition of making the semi-final or else the quarter-final.

"We started off with a tough game against Laois at home. Then we had to go to Thurles, and then we were down in the Gaelic Grounds to play Limerick. They aren't easy places to go. We just scraped through then against Antrim at home, and after that were lucky enough to beat Galway up in Pearse Stadium. So we're after doing a lot of travelling over the past few weeks and hopefully we'll be fresh again, and add to those results, and maybe get to a league final."

Power's scoring antics has played a major role in helping Kilkenny get this far. He hit 0-7 when they easily beat Tipperary back on February 26th, and now that they're this close to retaining their league title they certainly won't be backing off. Not that manager Brian Cody would chance that even if he knew how.

"Oh yeah, Brian Cody takes the league very seriously," added Power. "I know we set out this year the same as any other year, to win any competition we enter. We were lucky enough to retain the Walsh Cup at the beginning of the year, we're in a league semi-final now, and we'd be hoping to retain that title.

"And I've heard no talk about the championship yet. Every team is aiming for it, I know, and we're the same in that all we're aiming for after the league is the first round of the Leinster Championship at the beginning of June.

"There's a lot of young players after coming into this panel form last year's under-21 team, and every game is giving them experience, and going to bring them along. We're just hoping that come the first round of the championship we'll be ready for whoever we meet, which is either Dublin or Westmeath."

Power is himself young enough for the under-21 team again this year, and with the likes of Michael Rice also making a big impact in the senior panel there is a real freshness to this Kilkenny team.

"There's actually 14 of us now from last year's under-21 team on this panel, and it's been great. I feel we've all come up through the ranks together. We won an under-16 All-Ireland, two minor and two under-21 All-Irelands together. So there's a good bond there, and that goes great with the experienced lads like Henry Shefflin and Michael Kavanagh and Noel Hickey. I think we've a good combination and hopefully it will all come together for the beginning of the summer."

One of other more experienced players, Power hopes to be able to line out with DJ Carey, who opted off the panel during the league and has still to decide if he'll try to make it back: "Sure look, you know he's been there with Kilkenny over the last 16 years or so. That alone is phenomenal. But I'd still love nothing more than to see him come back again this year.

"He was a great, great help to me last year for my season involved with the senior team. He taught me an awful lot about the senior set up and it would be great to see the likes of DJ and Peter Barry part of it again this year. They've been great leaders over the years and great to all the young lads on the team. I think it would be great to see them back.

"DJ has gone back with his club now and that was always the first move, and we're just hoping that by the end of May or the start of June he'll be back in the squad and training with us."