Preview- Resilient Cats ready to take that final step

The road to the All-Ireland final has been long and winding but as far as Niall Bergin is concerned each and every step has been worthwhile.

“It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster, but it’s brilliant to be playing in an All-Ireland final,” he said as the Cats continued their build-up to a massive clash with neighbours Tipperary at UPMC Nowlan Park this Saturday (throw-in 5.30pm).

“We started on April 16 with the first game against Galway and had games week on week for six weeks. It was heavy going, but it’s great to be in a final after all that.”

The season was something of a topsy-turvy affair for Kilkenny who, after a great opening day win over Galway, suffered back-to-back losses to Wexford and Dublin. That left them facing a longer route through the championship, but the team’s spirit saw them through.

“We learned so much from those games,” the O’Loughlin Gaels man said. “The boys showed tremendous character to bounce back and face into a challenging game against Kildare in the quarter-final. Thankfully we got through it, especially in the last 20 minutes when we were under pressure - Kildare were coming at us and the crowd sensed an upset - but the lads rode it out. That result set us up well for a semi-final against Galway.”

The challenges that Kilkenny have come through in a bid to win their 22nd minor All-Ireland title has highlighted the character and spirit present in the team.

“We have 32 young lads champing at the bit to get into the matchday panel of 24,” said Bergin. “We’ve used a number of players this year which has been really important. It has added to the spirit of the panel and given a competitive edge amongst the group, which has stood to us at stages in this championship.

“We’ve gone with form all the way along,” he added. “Lads have come in and out of form across the championship but they’ve battled back and shown tremendous resilience, which they’ve had to do across the games.

“It’s been challenging at times, especially with games coming week on week. At times like that we didn’t do a whole lot in training - it’s just a case of getting the heads right and trying to go again. The three-week break after the Leinster final arrived at the right time as it gave us time to reset.”

Saturday’s final will be the eighth game in what has been a long year for Kilkenny. Bergin was quick to praise the players for their efforts this season, but was keen to point out that the path to the final involved more than the 32 hurlers.

“It has been a huge effort to get this far,” he said. “That’s not just from the team and the panel but the backroom team, strength and conditioning and medical teams.

“The clubs and families have to be given credit too for their support throughout the year,” he added. “All have contributed and given a huge effort to make sure everyone has been looking forward to the games throughout the year.”

Kilkenny have had some tough moments throughout the year, but Bergin reflected on the Leinster quarter-final with Kildare as the most testing of the year.

“We played Dublin on the Sunday of the May Bank Holiday Weekend,” he recalled. “We got together the day after and, with a game against Kildare four days away, sat down and had a very good meeting about where we wanted to go for the season.

“We knew leaving that meeting that the players really wanted it,” he said. “They showed that in the game against Kildare - Kildare didn’t get enough credit for the how they performed in that game - when the game was in the melting pot.

“The lads pulled through and showed it again in the Leinster semi-final against Galway and the final against Dublin. That was a real test as their set-up was quite challenging, but the lads weathered the storm. It’s been onwards and upwards ever since.”

Kilkenny have just one step left on their championship path, but know they face a sizeable task in the form of Tipperary.

“Tipp have an excellent team who beat a very good Clare in the Munster final,” Bergin said of Saturday’s opponent.

“In the All-Ireland semi-final Galway threw everything at them, but Tipp withstood it. They were two points down in extra-time with time almost up, but still managed to score three points to win the game. That’s huge for a team.

“We know it’s going to be a huge task to try and beat them, but it’s a challenge we’re looking forward to, and a challenge we’re going to embrace.”

Paths to the final

Kilkenny
Leinster MHC
Round One: Kilkenny 4-24, Galway 1-14.
Round Two: Wexford 2-20, Kilkenny 1-20
Round Three: Kilkenny 0-12, Dublin 0-17
Quarter-final: Kildare 0-15, Kilkenny 4-16
Semi-final: Galway 1-12, Kilkenny 4-18
Leinster final: Dublin 1-9, Kilkenny 1-13
All-Ireland semi-final: Kilkenny 2-23, Clare 2-20 (AET)

Tipperary
Munster MHC
Round One: Tipperary 1-19, Cork 2-12
Round Two: Tipperary 3-16, Waterford 2-14
Round Three: Bye
Round Four: Clare 4-11, Tipperary 0-19
Round Five: Tipperary 0-13, Limerick 0-12
Munster final: Tipperary 2-17, Clare 0-16
All-Ireland semi-final: Tipperary 1-24, Galway 0-26 (AET)

Kilkenny panel - Jake O’Doherty (Mooncoin), Oisin Henderson (Dicksboro), Larry Phelan (James Stephens), Bobby Brennan (Erin’s Own), David Barcoe (Clara), Jack Dollard (Glenmore), Mikey Rohan (Carrickshock), Robbie Doherty (Mooncoin), Kevin Buggy (Erin’s Own), Jake Mullen (Shamrocks, Ballyhale), Bill McDermott (James Stephens), Jason Cody (Glenmore), Ollie O’Donovan (John Lockes), Conor Holohan (O’Loughlin Gaels), Eoin Brennan (Erin’s Own), Daniel McCormack (O’Loughlin Gaels), Diarmuid Behan (James Stephens), Cian Byrne (O’Loughlin Gaels), Eoghan Cahill (Graigue-Ballycallan), Anthony Clifford (Dicksboro), Conor Heffernan (James Stephens), Patrick Lacey (Dicksboro), Conor McEvoy (James Stephens), Louis Raggett (Dicksboro), James Bergin (James Stephens), Jake Connery (Erin’s Own), Cian Donnelly (St Lachtain’s), Josh Dowling (Erin’s Own), Donnchadh Hennessy (Dicksboro), Padraig Joyce (James Stephens), Bill O’Shea (Dicksboro), Killian Ryan (Shamrocks, Ballyhale).

Manager: Niall Bergin. Selectors: John Dermody, Paddy Hogan, Pat Robinson.