We need to be comfortable playing different styles of hurling - Lyng

Results and performance wise it’s been a bit of a mixed start for Kilkenny manager Derek Lyng in the Allianz League but, in an overall context, the Emeralds man has taken the job in his stride.

Lyng has overseen five competitive games in his reign thus far and has cast his eye over a huge amount of players as he gets ready to finalise his squad ahead of the beginning of the championship in the next few weeks.

It’s still early days, but the former six-time All-Ireland winner is happy with how things have gone thus far.

“I’ve really enjoyed it so far and happy now that the games have started,” he said. “That’s where the real enjoyment comes from and we’ve been training well.

“We’ve a big squad at the minute and we are working through that but I’m happy to be up and running now.”

Having taken over from Brian Cody, there was always going to be a lot of interest in how Lyng would get on in what is arguably the most pressurised job in intercounty hurling.

Cody’s departure came less than a week after Kilkenny’s defeat to Limerick in last year’s All-Ireland final. That quick solution has certainly helped the new man at the helm settle in the hotseat, but it helped the management team see the entirety of the club campaign as they went in search of new talent.

“Coming into the job I was coming from a place where I had been a selector for five years as well as doing the under-20 job for three years so from that point of view it was nearly as good a preparation as you could get,” Lyng added.

“Obviously you’ve to put your thoughts together then and prepare for the role but that wasn’t a major issue for me.

“Getting the job so early last August allowed my management team and myself to get around to club matches in Kilkenny,” he added. “It was really important to get a handle on players that may not have been on our radar at either under-20 or senior level and see who was playing well across the county.”

Taking over from Brian Cody as Kilkenny manager is one thing, but putting your own stamp on things is also important for Lyng.

The Kilkenny boss has admitted that they are working through playing a number of different styles but that flexibility will be the key if it is to be a success.

The Kilkenny boss is doing everything he can to ensure his side hits peak form during the championship

“I’m not sure if we’ll look any different than we did in recent years,” he said. “We are working on lots of things at the moment and the reality of it is that we have to adapt to certain situations in different games as teams set up differently now.

“We have to be comfortable playing various different styles and I would like the players to be able to make the decisions on the field of play and being comfortable to do that.

“Being comfortable playing those different styles is where I’d like to get to and have a team that’s able to make those decisions themselves but, like I said, we also need to have that flexibility in the team and in the squad. Having that ability to adapt to things as they happen will be important.”

After leading the Cats to under-20 All-Ireland glory in 2022, Lyng has given senior debuts to the likes of Niall Rowe, Killian Doyle, Timmy Clifford, Gearoid Dunne and Billy Drennan but with the five players all still underage this term and the under-20 campaign running alongside the Leinster senior championship decisions will have to be made down the line.

After collecting the man of the match award in all three of Kilkenny’s victories in the Leinster and under-20 championship games last season Drennan has continued his development with big performances in the opening two games.

The Kilkenny manager doesn’t feel that there’s too much pressure on the Galmoy youngster, who only turns 20 later in the year.

“Billy Drennan has certainly started well for us but I wouldn’t be putting a huge expectation on him yet,” said Lyng. “He’s only turning 20 this year.

“It’s early doors but he’s a good fella and he’s training very well along with all the other under-20s.

“As the year goes on we’ll see how that progresses. Like I said, we’ve a competitive panel and it’s good to see some of the younger players putting their hand up already. That’s what we want.”

Last weekend saw Shamrocks players Ronan Corcoran and Paddy Mullen appear for Kilkenny in their victory over Tipperary in the Dillon Quirke Challenge game at Semple Stadium but Lyng doesn’t expect to see their clubmate TJ Reid on the field for another few weeks.

“We want to have TJ right for the big days in the summer,” said Lyng. “He’s had a long campaign with both Kilkenny and Ballyhale but that’s been continuous for the last few years, so it’s important that we do manage it. He has a few niggles, but nothing major. We will be looking at bringing him back at some point but he’s working away at the minute with the Strength and Conditioning team.

“He’s eager himself and he’s very ambitious to come back in as good a shape as possible,” the manager added. “How he’s transformed himself from the player he was when I was finishing up has been extraordinary.

“He’s really brought his game to another level and to be honest he’s always looking to improve. That’s the way to be as he has the right attitude.

“He’s ambitious and you can see that through the last few years with Ballyhale and Kilkenny as well, so I’m certainly looking forward to having a fit TJ Reid at some point.”

The Kilkenny boss will want Reid fit and firing when the big games come round in the next few weeks for what is a very condensed period of action.

“The season is new to me but the split-season was there last year too and it certainly makes things more intense as it’s game on game. From an injury perspective, more so than anything, it’s Wednesday or Thursday before you get a good handle on who you have available for the weekend,” Lyng added.

“We’ve to try and manage that as much as anything but there are a few weeks between league and championship,” the manager finished. “That’s something which allows for that bit of breathing space but it’s the same for everybody - we just get on with it.”