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Irish Daily Mirror
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Davy Fitzgerald - Pressure on Derek Lyng unfair while Liam Cahill looks secure
From the outside looking in, it feels as though there's a bit of pressure on Derek Lyng as the Championship heads for its conclusion. I don't think it's fair, what it's worth. He's come in after the greatest manager in the history of the game and won three Leinster titles, but All-Irelands are what really count in Kilkenny. They haven't won one in 10 years and if they don't see it through this year, it'll be their longest ever drought. That shouldn't be pinned on Lyng and this particular group of players, but if it happens on their watch it's something that they'll be associated with, rightly or wrongly. Liam Cahill, by contrast, has probably done enough this year to ensure that he gets another season in Tipperary having brought the team back to Croke Park after a six-year gap and from a position where they looked to be dire straits 12 months ago. But you couldn't be so sure about Lyng if things don't work out tomorrow. To be fair to him, he's put his own stamp on the team. They vary their game more now with the short and long ball. The puckout strategy has evolved beyond what it was under Brian Cody and, in Eoin Murphy, they have a goalkeeper that can adapt to that with relative ease. Kilkenny-Tipperary games were always man-to-man combat but there will be a bit more to this match on the tactical side as both counties have moved on. I still expect hard tackling, plenty of running and lots of nice hurling. This is a game that will have everything - but plenty of variation too, perhaps unlike their meetings of yesteryear. The match-ups will be of particular interest to me and while the Tipperary inside line of Darragh McCarthy, John McGrath and Jason Forde have had a fine season, they will have it all to do coming up against Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor and Tommy Walsh. I would have Lawlor and Limerick's Dan Morrissey down as two of the finest defenders in the game. For me, it's most likely that Lawlor will pair off with McGrath, Butler will take Forde and Walsh will pick up McCarthy. In terms of who Cahill needs to tie down at the other end, TJ Reid, Adrian Mullen and Eoin Cody immediately spring to mind and then you have John Donnelly, who works exceptionally hard, can win ball, get scores and has a massive all-round influence on the Kilkenny attack. If TJ plays inside, Eoghan Connolly is one option that Cahill will probably have considered. He's been really good this year, strong in the air and tight but if you give TJ space, even at his age, he'll hurt you. Ultimately, though, I think they'll give that job to Michael Breen and, on balance, it would appear to be the right call. He's more experienced and will be that bit tighter than Connolly. Robert Doyle has had a great year but taking on Cody would be his biggest test yet, presuming the Ballyhale man is fully fit and firing. McGrath has been written off for the last few years but it's great to see him back to his best. Again, he'll have it all to do against Lawlor. Ronan Maher would seem a good match for Donnelly but I'm not sure that Cahill will opt for that. In terms of how it will all play out, I can see Forde edging it on Butler. Not many get the better of Butler but Forde is playing with serious confidence. But could I see McGrath and McCarthy doing the same on Lawlor and Walsh respectively? It's a possibility, of course, but less likely. So Kilkenny should have the edge back there, even allowing for the good form that those Tipperary players bring into this game. And I think they will up front too. You could see Breen containing TJ, but Doyle and Craig Morgan tying down Cody and Mullen as well seems a stretch. It's important to state that these are largely 50-50 battles and it's not about one player completely obliterating the other, more which team can shade enough of them to give their side the edge. And I believe the advantage lies with Kilkenny in that respect for the most part. But then that could be offset by Tipp seemingly having a bigger impact off their bench - and that's a point that cannot be overstated. You have Noel McGrath's know-how and experience coming in and the likes of Oisin O'Donoghue, a big powerful man who came up with a goal against Galway. But, ultimately, Kilkenny aren't Galway and this game won't be loose in the way that that one was. Kilkenny to edge enough of those key battles around the field and return to the final. ======= Cork find themselves with a massive opportunity and they owe much of it to their resilience. They suffered a gut-wrenching defeat to Clare in last year's All-Ireland final and were hammered by Limerick only a few weeks ago, but they've stuck to their task and come to Croke Park as Munster champions and All-Ireland favourites. Deservedly so. It's a big year for this team, 20 years since Cork last scaled the summit. They are a side that thrives on confidence and winning Munster fuels that all the more. There are two key differences that I've noted with them this year. Firstly, they are pressing the opposition half-forward line a lot more, something they didn't do in last year's All-Ireland final, to their cost. I remember watching Mark Coleman that day standing on his own on the Cork 65, playing zonally. Meanwhile, David Fitzgerald picked up a mountain of ball, got a few scores and set up a few more. Coleman either needed to press or drop and protect his full-back line. By playing zonally, he was doing neither. This year, Cork are pressing but that comes with its own dangers and I would be wary of all three half-backs doing it at the same time with no cover for the full-back line. You need one to sit deeper to offer that protection and ideally that would be Robert Downey, presuming he lines out at centre-back. Secondly, there's a much greater work ethic from their forwards. They are tracking and blocking and that unselfish element of their game makes a big difference. Dublin will pose them a different challenge, however. Their pace in the middle third is unreal and they are very good at building the play from the back with the short ball. Sean Brennan has won his place back in goals and brought off the save of the season from Aaron Gillane. Their full-back line is solid but how they cope with Patrick Horgan, Alan Connolly and Brian Hayes will likely define the game. The midfield battle will be fascinating. Conor Burke was sensational for Dublin against Limerick but Darragh Fitzgibbon is flying it too. I was very impressed by Dublin when Antrim came up against them, how well organised they were, their pace, the variation in their game and, most of all, how they play for each other. That variation is manifest in their ability to go long to John Hetherton or Ronan Hayes, whichever of them is on the edge of the square. Hetherton provided impact off the bench the last day but I would start him this time. He takes a lot of marking and Cork struggle with big men who are good in the air. The trade-off for Dublin is that they probably wouldn't get the full game out of him, but the start of this game will be crucial. If Dublin can get Sean Currie working effectively off Hetherton then they'll be in business. Dublin are here on merit, but while they survived heroically without Chris Crummey last time, he'll still be a massive loss. He's a good defender in his own right but he builds the play so well and causes problems for opposition going forward. Their ability to back up a strong performance with another is also in question. It's something that dogged Clare in the early years of my playing career. We came from nowhere to beat Limerick and Cork in 1993 but tanked against Tipperary in the Munster final. The following year we beat Tipp but were hammered by Limerick. We recognised that when you're built up after a big win, you just have to come back with as much appetite the next day. We finally cracked it in 1995 then. Back-to-back performances would be the biggest indicator of Dublin's progress. They're not coming in under the radar this time. But I think Cork will thrive back in Croke Park. The space will suit them. They haven't produced a top level performance over 70 minutes in this Championship yet but I feel that it's coming. I expect Dublin to turn up, but Cork to win.
Irish Times
04-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
‘I'll play anywhere I'm told to': Adrian Mullen keen to shine in Leinster final after beating injury demons
Adrian Mullen hopped away on crutches after Kilkenny's last championship fixture against Galway , but on Sunday he hopes to be bouncing out of Croke Park with the Bob O'Keeffe Cup safely secured for the sixth consecutive year. It has been another frustrating season for Mullen in terms of injury, but the former All Star did manage to start Kilkenny's last two round-robin matches in the provincial championship. The 26-year-old missed all of the National League because of a groin injury but returned for the first round of the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship in April– a home tie against Galway at Nowlan Park. Mullen even marked his first appearance of the campaign with a neatly taken goal in the opening exchanges. However, after just 17 minutes he was forced off the field with an ankle injury. He later left the ground in a moon boot and also with the aid of crutches. READ MORE The Ballyhale clubman has been working his way back to match sharpness in recent weeks and played most of their final round-robin game against Wexford. Speaking ahead of Sunday's Leinster SHC final against Galway at Croke Park (4pm), he said: 'The body's holding up well for now. 'I suppose at this time of year, you're never really 100 per cent, especially with how tough and heavy training is. But I've kept together in one piece for now and I'm looking forward to Sunday. 'I just picked up an injury during pre-season or early January and that kind of kept me out for most of the league. But I stayed training away, stayed doing a bit of rehab and stuff like that. 'It was just unfortunate at that time, but it's all good now and I'm fit and ready to go.' Kilkenny's Adrian Mullen receives treatment for an injury sustained against Galway in a Leinster SHC match in April. Photograph: Leah Scholes/Inpho Mullen last played a full competitive match for Kilkenny in the league final loss to Clare in April 2024. He has had various injury problems over the years including cruciate, hamstring and hand issues. So, turning on his ankle against Galway in his first start of the year was far from ideal. 'To get back for the Galway game and then to go off injured after 10 minutes or so with a twisted ankle, yeah it was a setback,' he continues. 'But you just have to get on with it and see what you can do to get yourself right for the next game or the next few weeks to follow.' When you're playing at an elite level and you don't come out victorious, there's going to be that level of hurt and disappointment — Adrian Mullen The sight of Mullen wearing the number six jersey against Wexford last time out has generated plenty of intrigue as to Derek Lyng's plans for a player more accustomed to an attacking role. As Kilkenny had already qualified for the Leinster final before that Wexford match, perhaps it was nothing more than a one-off experiment. 'Given the circumstances of the round-robin we were already through, it was probably a game to give lads a bit of game time and get minutes into the legs,' adds Mullen. 'I suppose I'll play anywhere I'm told to play. If you're told to play centre back, you obviously just have to adapt to that. If you're in closer to goal, you have to be a threat up there and stuff like that. 'The way the game has gone, you have to be able to play anywhere. If you're named half-forward, you could end up midfield or even in the half-back line or in the full-forward line. You just have to be versatile.' Kilkenny manager Brian Cody lifts the Liam MacCarthy Cup in 2015, which was the last time Kilkenny were All-Ireland champions. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho Kilkenny last won the Liam MacCarthy Cup in 2015 and have been beaten in four finals over the last decade – 2016, 2019, 2022, 2023. They lost to eventual champions Clare at the semi-final stages last summer. 'Look, it was definitely disappointing,' recalls Mullen of that defeat to the Banner County. 'But I suppose in games like that, if you don't win, you have to reflect and you have to learn from it. They were the better team on the day. All we can do is learn from it.' He acknowledges that the barren decade has been difficult for black and amber hurling folk. 'Definitely, there has to be that level of hurt,' adds Mullen. 'When you're playing at an elite level and you don't come out victorious, there's going to be that level of hurt and disappointment. 'As I said, you just have to look back on it, you have to reflect on it, you have to learn from it, see what went right, see what went wrong and try to improve.' [ The Schemozzle: Tiered hurling system sending ill-prepared counties round in circles Opens in new window ] [ Munster final tactical analysis: Cork must be sharper with puckouts against Limerick Opens in new window ] As for the All-Ireland race this year, he is not entertaining the argument that it is simply a two-horse gallop between Limerick and Cork. 'Oh, is it?' he says with a smile. 'Obviously, we have our own opinions and our own beliefs. I'd say any player at intercounty level knows that if you're a percentage off on the day, you will be found out. You have to really be at the pitch every day you go out. 'We had a decent round-robin. Before that, the league was up and down. But we've done what we had to do in the round-robin – we won a few games, we've got to the Leinster final. 'You can't ask for much more than that. We're just looking forward to Sunday and trying to put our best foot forward and trying to bring our best game to Croke Park.'
