Former All-Ireland winner believes now is the time for Kilkenny to 'nail down' starting positions

Four-time All-Ireland winner with Kilkenny, Kieran Joyce, believes players 'probably want to nail down a position now' as the Leinster Championship looms.

After the weather refused to play ball last weekend, Kilkenny will make their belated return to league action when they take on Cork in Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Saturday evening at 5pm.

"We know the experience that’s gone in Cillian (Buckley), Conor (Fogarty) and Wally (Walter Walsh), they are three spots that are definitely going to be there for new lads coming in so who’s going to put their hand up and take that position?," the former UL Fitzgibbon Cup winner commented.

"If I was a player now, you’d probably want to nail down a position and get used to playing in it. The more games you play in that position, the more confidence you get playing there. It’s trying to find that balance and build a strong spine," the former Kilkenny wing-back claimed.

"Huw Lawlor is a fantastic full-back and he’s set there but I suppose it’s the other lines the whole the way up we’re probably looking at," Joyce added.

"We all know TJ (Reid) is around but Eoin Cody, Mossy Keoghan have stepped up, they’re starting to show a consistent performance each week. You want your main players getting you two/three points in play,” the former Cat remarked, adding that a greater spread of scores and impact from a wider range of players in the panel will be critical in Kilkenny’s season.

Listen to the full interview on the Kilkenny People Sport Podcast below: