Brian Cody pleased with the attitude of the Kilkenny players in league defeat to Tipperary

Kilkenny may have came away pointless from their trip to FBD Semple Stadium last Sunday but the performance was much improved from the Antrim game and while the result didn’t go their way, Brian Cody saw some positives.

“We won the last day, we didn’t win today,” said Cody.

“You won’t be happier when you lose than when you win, but it was a decent performance.

“For a period they got a nice bit of a lead and it looked as if they could drive on but the response was very, very good from the players.

“They fought it out to the bitter end. Again, we probably had wides, we would prefer if we weren’t having some of the wides.

“Overall, a very, very good attitude from the players and we just didn’t get over the line but there are positives for sure.”

Kilkenny hit 16 wides over the course of the 70 minutes and with a break coming up this weekend, improving their accuracy in front of goal will be important.

He added: “We have created chances and some of the wides you’d be thinking they weren’t difficult scores to get, the players know that themselves. But obviously something we’d be hoping for improvement.”

Kilkenny were chasing for much of the contest but the way they fought back to get level at one stage of the second half was pleasing for the James Stephens man.

“The whole game matters and it went one way and then the other and Tipperary got a lead on us in various stages of the game but we fought back,” he said.

“The goal before half-time wasn’t too good for us obviously and it gave them a nice bit of a cushion going in at the break.

“That’s the way it goes though and obviously our goal in the second half was very important as well.”

The Kilkenny boss intends to gradually ease the Shamrocks players back into the fold after their All-Ireland final defeat to Ballygunner while he also gave the likes of David Blanchfield, Niall Brassil, Cian Kenny and John Walsh a chance to stake a place in the team for the championship.

“Sure look, I mean we’re short various players. I suppose obviously the Shamrocks players, they’ll be coming back into us and you always have niggles and bits and pieces as well.

“The reality is the League is always like that and the battle is on for places.

“The aim is to always try players in the league as you are always trying to strengthen your panel and the only way you will find out about them is by getting them on the field and that’s the reality.

“At the end of the day, the championship is in two months time so everything is geared towards that.”

For the second successive game Kilkenny lost a member of their full back line to a first half injury and Evan Cody and Conor Delaney look set for a spell on the sidelines.

“Evan Cody went down with a hamstring injury and it was a very tough one for the player as the game had barely started and it’s very unfortunate for him.

“We’ve a few injuries in the back line at the moment and it’s something we could do without but that’s just the way things happen.”