These Will Keep Things Ticking over Nicely; with Kilkenny Closing in on Four-in-a-Row, SHANE McGRATH Looks at Three Key Areas Which Could Have a Huge Bearing on Whether Tipperary Can Throw a Spanner in the Works and Prevent the Cats from Reaching Hurling Heaven

Byline: SHANE McGRATH

On Diarmuid Kirwan

'MISCHIEVOUS or not, Paul Flynn's declaration on national television that the referee is a crucial actor in tomorrow's drama was correct. It drew a no-comment from the Kilkenny camp that nonetheless managed to be barbed, and Kirwan was going to be a figure attracting focus with or without the comments of Flynn.

The claims about Kilkenny being a dirty team have always been wafted by the whingeing of defeated teams. It is Kilkenny's brilliance that has accounted for every side they have met in the championship since the final of 2006, and when the talk about Brian Cody directing a team who 'play on the edge' is aired, it has often been flavoured with the bitter tang of sour grapes.

Ger Loughnane was one of the most vocal propagators of the theory before the 2007 quarter-final between Galway and Kilkenny, but the controversies with Tommy …

Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication information: Article title: These Will Keep Things Ticking over Nicely; with Kilkenny Closing in on Four-in-a-Row, SHANE McGRATH Looks at Three Key Areas Which Could Have a Huge Bearing on Whether Tipperary Can Throw a Spanner in the Works and Prevent the Cats from Reaching Hurling Heaven. Contributors: Not available. Newspaper title: Daily Mail (London). Publication date: September 5, 2009. Page number: 70. © 2007 Daily Mail. COPYRIGHT 2009 Gale Group.

This material is protected by copyright and, with the exception of fair use, may not be further copied, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means.