Kilkenny will look to make it two wins from two in the Walsh Cup this Sunday when they take on Antrim at 2pm in Abbottstown.
After Eddie Brennan’s under 21s done the business last time out against DCU, Brian Cody steps back in to the Manager’s role for Sunday and it is widely expected that a strong Kilkenny team will take to the field.
LISTEN: We’ll be live on KCLRFanzone.com with full commentary from 1.50pm this Sunday.
Kilkenny have recently returned from their Team Holiday in the America and will most definitely look to blow off the cobwebs against an Antrim side who enjoyed a win over Westmeath in their opening game.
It will be interesting to see how many new players will feature come Sunday, although some of those who are expected to make the step up this year are detailed to represent their College’s instead with James Stephens’s man Luke Scanlon being the main example.
Kevin Kelly and Chris Bolger are also tied up with IT Carlow for the Walsh Cup and Bolger in particular featured prominently for Clara in the Kilkenny Senior Championship in 2016.
One other player that I feel would be a big addition after good club form is Darragh Joyce, however at this stage we all know he has Australian Rules Football committments and fair play to him, the opportunity to play a professional sport is something that you can’t turn down.
Aside from all these unavailabilities you still have a seriously strong panel who will be out to make a statement for their 2017 ambitions.
After all it is only somewhat of a warm up tournament and I say that with all due respect but Kilkenny will still look to get off to a positive start.
This Kilkenny team has developed new leaders in recent years in Richie Hogan, Paul Murphy and TJ Reid and with the retirements of Eoin Larkin and Jackie Tyrrell, I expect the likes of Walter Walsh, Padraig Walsh and Cillian Buckley to start leading the way from now on because they are now all established hurlers that are in their mid 20’s.
It’s interesting to note that Abbottstown is the venue for this game although it’s a far less absorbing journey for Kilkenny than a spin much further up the North.
In my opinion It’s only right that Antrim play their games within the province which takes in the Walsh Cup and interestingly last year Kerry had two home games in the Leinster Round Robin series which I felt was unfair on the counties competing from Leinster.
LISTEN: We’ll be live on KCLRFanzone.com with full commentary from 1.50pm this Sunday.
All in all it will be interesting to see how Brian Cody’s charges fair out in this encounter and we will have it covered on air and online this Sunday.
