The Allianz National Hurling League may be taking a brief hiatus this weekend, but the action off the field is as riveting as ever in Kilkenny.
In a special edition of The Kilkenny Hurling Podcast, listeners were treated to an exclusive sit-down interview with none other than Michael Fennelly, an eight-time All-Ireland winner and a stalwart of Kilkenny and Shamrocks legend. Fennelly, now serving as the Performance Lead with Kilkenny GAA, delved into the heart of the counties aspirations and challenges, particularly in nurturing talent at the underage level.
Acknowledging the recent lack of underage success, Fennelly’s reflections offered a candid insight into the shifting landscape of Kilkenny hurling. “We took our eye off the ball, potentially,” he admitted, hinting at a period of recalibration and strategic reassessment within the county’s developmental structures. Despite clinching the last four Leinster titles at the senior level, the absence of corresponding triumphs at the grassroots level raised pertinent questions about the sustainability of Kilkenny’s legacy.
“Our underage success is probably is a bit worrying in some senses. Underage success doesn’t obviously guarantee us senior success,” Fennelly remarked, underscoring the nuanced dynamics between nurturing emerging talent and translating it into sustained excellence in the sport. Central to Fennelly’s vision is a renewed emphasis on performance, a departure from traditional paradigms that solely prioritized outcomes over processes. “Kilkenny have gotten this role in place, and I think they are looking more at the performance element of it,” he noted.
Indeed, Fennelly’s tenure as Performance Lead has been marked by a concerted effort to reimagine the contours of success, one that transcends mere silverware and embraces the ethos of sustainable growth and development. “Even in my last six, seven months dealing with the county boards, they are seeing the work that’s going on, they are seeing the reasons why we’re putting in these new structures,” he affirmed.
For fans eager to delve deeper into Fennelly’s insights, the full interview is available below while portions of the interview will also be aired on Scoreline this Saturday from 4 PM.
And remember, KCLR is the only place where you can hear all of Kilkenny’s matches in the Allianz National Hurling League, Leinster championship and All-Ireland series in 2024.
