Kilkenny recovery not a given by any means

Other teams don't fear the champions now – Limerick have impressed me this year and can cause real trouble for Brian Cody's men, writes NICKY ENGLISH

THE DOOR to this year’s All-Ireland title was thrown wide open with Kilkenny’s defeat to Galway in the Leinster final. Up to that point, everyone thought Kilkenny were invincible; and, perhaps, the players themselves were guilty of believing the hype, with the result Brian Cody’s men are now in the very unfamiliar position of having to find a backdoor route towards retaining the Liam MacCarthy Cup.

Tomorrow’s All-Ireland quarter-final with Limerick is the first step in that quest. Kilkenny are on a major redemption mission and it can go one of two ways: A – Kilkenny can bounce back and will annihilate Limerick, proving to everyone they really are back and the Galway display was an aberration; or, B – what we saw against Galway, allowing for Galway’s brilliance, was a Kilkenny team in serious decline.

From a position where everyone thought they knew everything there was to know about Kilkenny, after their impressive League final performance versus Cork, and their display against Dublin in the Leinster semi-final, and it was simply a matter of course that they’d kick on and win the All-Ireland again, now we don’t even know how they’re going to play in the All-Ireland quarter-final.

A month ago, it seemed the destination of the title was over. It was done and dusted. Kilkenny’s defeat to Galway has changed that, not just because they lost but because there was failure all over the place against Galway.

Some of their best players were guilty: Paul Murphy, under no pressure, dropped the ball several times; Tommy Walsh mis-hit line balls; and Eoin Larkin and Richie Power were virtually anonymous in the forward line.

It was a total and utter collapse. I have the feeling that for once they believed the hype that they were invincible.

When they were put on the back foot by Galway, Kilkenny couldn’t reverse out of it.

That outcome has changed the attitude of all the other teams. Limerick won’t be as afraid of them now as they would have been three weeks or a month ago.

This match with Limerick is a big test for Kilkenny. They will be hoping it is the norm that teams learn a lot about themselves in defeat. To their credit, they fought to the very end against Galway and Michael Fennelly’s return will make a difference.

But Brian Hogan’s absence through injury is a blow to them. He is virtually irreplaceable. I know he was pulled all over the place in the Galway game but he has been their bulwark at centre back these past number of years and Kilkenny aren’t as solid when Hogan isn’t there.

The All-Ireland final in 2010 showed that. Not alone does he do the centre back job but he also drops in front of the full back.

I’ll be surprised if Kilkenny come out with all guns blazing tomorrow. I think the defeat to Galway will have a big impact and I don’t think that recovery will be as simple as many people suggest.

It’s hard to revert straight back into super team mode. Galway have put a hole below the water line and other teams will benefit from it.

Limerick have impressed me this year and they’re a team that can cause real trouble for Kilkenny. They’re a team on the up who pulverised Tipperary physically and outhurled them for much of their Munster championship game.

They perhaps lacked belief and ran out of steam only towards the end. They were lacking Declan Hannon up front and made a few ill-advised changes towards the end that day. But they’ve bounced back well and they’re a much stronger team having come back through the qualifiers.

Donal O’Grady has done a good job at centre back, Wayne McNamara is getting up and down the field and for the first time in a long time Limerick have some seriously dangerous forwards. Shane Dowling. Declan Hannon. Graham Mulcahy. And Niall Moran was in really good form the last day.

Limerick are a team that loves coming out on to the pitch in Thurles. They love it there and coming off a good victory against Clare will be an advantage.

If you turned the clock back four weeks, you couldn’t give Limerick a chance. But I think my opinions of Kilkenny have been revised downwards and I’ve felt all year Limerick were on an upward curve. It’s been a success for them to get to the All-Ireland quarter-finals and they’ve nothing to lose. It would be a massive bonus and ask for them to beat Kilkenny. It’s hard to know if they’re capable of that just yet, but it may not be far away. I still think Kilkenny will just about win.

The Cork-Waterford game is an awkward one to call. Cork ran Tipperary close enough in the Munster semi-final and have done what they had to do in the qualifiers, although neither Offaly nor Wexford would be up to the standard of what they face tomorrow. So, we haven’t really seen Cork in anger since the Tipp match really.

Stephen McDonnell’s return to full back should help the defence. He paid a heavy price for the league final display earlier in the year against Kilkenny but Cork were hammered out the field and anyone playing full back that day couldn’t win.

Seán Óg’s return brings a bit of experience and strength. He did well when introduced against Wexford and I thought he or John Gardiner could have been brought on in the second half against Tipperary when Cork’s half backs were guilty of aimless balls into the attack which caused them to bunch up. Either might have dictated better balls and spread it a bit more and Cork could have got over Tipperary.

Cork are a team with a lot of potential. Cian McCarthy has shown good form and Paudie O’Sullivan and Pat Horgan are dangerous up front. Their lack of experience was epitomised by Conor Lehane versus Tipp but maybe the qualifiers has given them confidence and more game time.

Waterford played very well against Tipp in the Munster final but had difficulty in scoring. A lot falls back on John Mullane. It’s almost impossible to hold him but if he’s limited to three or four points it is difficult to see where Waterford will get the scores.

Séamus Prendergast is in really good form but he is not a scorer. Pauric Mahony will improve for the Tipp game and will most likely take the frees instead of Maurice Shanahan, whose style let him down under pressure the last day.

Waterford have a very good record against Cork in recent years and a very good quarter-final history. Their defence is good. Kevin Moran, Brick Walsh, Tony Browne and Liam Lawlor were outstanding against Tipperary. I think it will be Cork’s day but it will be close.