Shefflin out

[SearingDrive]

After the tragedy in Kerry during the week, who cares about Henry Shefflin's will he won't he line out for Kilkenny circus. It keeps the media busy

[Slieve Bloom Man]

After the tragedy in Kerry during the week, who cares about Henry Shefflin's will he won't he line out for Kilkenny circus. It keeps the media busy

Don't see the point in bringing in the Kerry tragedy. After that tragedy, how would any sport matter to those families or to their communities?

I'm an Offaly supporter but I am interested in whether Shefflin lines out or not. I travelled to Nowlan park on Wednesday night to watch KK train, I just wanted to see a KK training session after all I'd heard about them. I couldn't believe the crowds there, the struggle to get parking and both stands looked full. I was at Offaly-Wex hurling and Offaly-Kildare football games there over the years and the crowds weren't much bigger. The place was buzzing with excitment, there was actually a great atmosphere there. There was a huge cheer when Shefflin came out to puck around. Every time he touched the ball, he was applauded. Okay he did not throw himself into physical tussles but he didn't look in bad shape. He'll play some part in the All-Ireland, if he doesn't start it. It's actually good there is so much media attention of this. Soccer and rugby gets an awful lot of media attention, especially from late August on, so it's important for the GAA to be getting decent coverage as well and the Shefflin story does interest some people.

As for the KK training session itself. The drills were fairly straight forward, done at good pace. Cody wasn't really involved in the drills-he just watched on. Then the match started and Cody just stood in the middle and only blew his whistle when a ball went wide or into the stand for a sideline. There were no frees blown for. Some lads hopped off each other with shoulders and lads were really hassled physically when they had possesion of the ball. Twice helmets came off players heads and no free. Eddie Brennan was actually very poor, while a lot of other forwards were flying. Could Brennan be left off for the final?-he was poor enough in semi-final as well. Larkin, Reid, Power, Rice, Mullhall and Derek Lyng all played well as forwards. TJ Reid roasted Tommy Walsh(1st training back from injury.) I enjoyed the battles between Richie Power & Noel Hickey and John Mullhall & JJ Delaney, all 4 players hurled plenty of ball. Derek Lyng hurled very well centre-forward, however he was marking John Tennyson (who did not look in near as good as shape as Shefflin.) For the 2nd half of the match James Ryall played in the centre back position that Hogan had been in, while Jackie Tyrell stayed corner back. Other players that played well, Cha, Fennelly, PJ Delaney, Michael Kavanagh, Tyrell and there was another lad in a yellow helmet-don't know who but he hurled very well.