Expectation a good thing for Derek Lyng ahead of new campaign with Kilkenny

It’s main event time for Derek Lyng and the Kilkenny hurlers as the Cats gear up for the start of the Leinster Championship.

It’s a third year in charge of the side for Lyng ad in both his previous seasons, he has oversaw his team take home the provincial title.

Supporters in the county will be hoping history can repeat itself in that aspect and in preparation for a busy schedule of action, Lyng and the Kilkenny squad recently took the decision to embark on a training camp in Portugal.

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While Kilkenny have made use of the likes of Carton House and Fota Island for weekend’s away in the past, going abroad has been a big change in tradition.

“I suppose we’ve been on training camps before but it’s the first time we’ve gone to Portugal. I think most counties have gone at this stage.

“It was something we looked at for lots of different reasons. But we worked very hard over there and got a huge amount out of it.

“But we’re back into our own normal routine now. While it was a really good time away in terms of the work that we got done, it’s about building on that now.

“We’re back training and that’s the focus now. But it was worthwhile, we got a huge amount of work done.”

The extended time together as a squad is something that Lyng sees huge benefit in as a whole.

“It’s good for players to spend a bit of time together as well. Obviously the surroundings, the weather is good, everything is there as well so it was very beneficial from that point of view.

“We’ve had plenty of training camps in Ireland and they’ve been excellent. Great facilities and things like that.

“There wouldn’t be too much in it. We’ve had brilliant training camps in Ireland as well so please God we’ll be back there as well.”

In similar new territory, Kilkenny go into Saturday’s opening fixture with Galway on the back of a big break.

League final appearances with Limerick and Clare in the last two seasons may not have offered up any silverware but they still got a competitive outing to bridge the gap to the championship.

There will be exactly five weeks between Kilkenny’s final league outing against Limerick and the Galway game and it’s something they’ve had to get used to as they look to start the season in style.

“I’d have liked to be in the league final but we weren’t so that’s the way it is. We have to maximise the time we have now and make sure we utilise it as best as possible, so we’re doing that.

“Training is going very well. We’re training hard. In the next few weeks we have to keep ramping it up and getting ready for the first game against Galway. Then we have Antrim and Offaly, three in a row, so three big games and finishing off with Dublin and Wexford then.”

The win over Limerick in that final league game does ensure that they will hit UPMC Nowlan Park in a positive mindset which is key to get a good performance.

“Every game in the league, you’re treating it as importantly as the next one. Obviously we’d been on the back of Tipperary and Cork, two defeats.

“I think what was difficult was that it wasn’t a true reflection of how we were training and how we were working away from it. 

“It was about putting in a performance that weekend, yeah, regardless of who we were playing. Absolutely, you’re looking for a reaction and we got that.

“But I think the challenge for us now is to keep backing that up. I suppose we don’t want to be reacting all the time.
best foot forward

“It’s about putting our best foot forward in each game now and making sure we’re prepared very well for it. That’s what training’s all about. The next couple of weeks is really gearing up for the Leinster Championship and finding that consistency in our performance. It’s a great challenge for everybody involved.”

The loss to Clare in last year’s All-Ireland Semi-Final still burns deep for the Kilkenny boss even months later and even more so with the Banner County claiming the ultimate prize two weeks later.

“It’s probably a match that you would have thought a good bit about for the rest of the year, to be honest. And still do, because it was the last match in the Championship, such a big game.

“We did an awful lot right for periods of the game, but ultimately the consistency that we were looking for in the performance wasn’t there in the second half. Clare were worthy winners and out-fought us for the last 20 minutes, if you wanted to break it down to that.

“You can look at everything else but ultimately that’s what it was. They raised the intensity, we weren’t able to match it and that’s something that we’re working very hard at.

“A 75, 80 minute performance is what you’re looking for now. We have to be able to sustain it for longer. There were periods in the game that were very good but how we finished, we wouldn’t have been happy with,” Lyng continued.

While Saturday’s encounter will set the tone for the coming weeks. the former player and selector knows that it won’t be the be all and end all either.

“There is still four matches after the Galway one and they are all big games but obviously you want to get a good start and especially at home.

“Win or lose we have to dust ourselves down and get ready for the following weekend it’s just as simple as that.

“We’ve to be ready for all the games as we’ve seen it before where a team may get a big win and not back it up the following weekend.”

As ever there will be a lot of eyes on the Cats but its something Lyng relishes as they try to breach the gap to their last All-Ireland title.

“The expectation is a brilliant thing to have because we are a successful county and I’d prefer to be expecting to win things rather than the other way round.

“With that comes pressure as well and it’s something we look to embrace and we’ve our own standards that we are trying to hit.”

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