KILKENNY manager Brian Cody reckons the All Ireland champions are entering a period of ‘transition’.
David Herity, Brian Hogan, Tommy Walsh, Aidan Fogarty, and JJ Delaney have all retired from inter-county action and Cody is expecting a 'challenging' spell.
"It's going to be very challenging because of who we've lost," Cody admits. "People can say we only lost JJ (Delaney) of the starters for the All-Ireland replay, but it only takes one or two injuries and suddenly all those players are crucially important. Even in the dressing-room, their experience, wisdom, leadership, all of that is massive.
"I said we're heading for transition and we are. That's the reality and we'll go at it. We don't know where we'll go but we'll go at it.
"That's the way sport works. Great players come and great players go but the challenge is still there.”
Cody acknowledges the loss of full-back Delaney is highly significant. “I think everybody feels there is more in JJ. When he was injured for the 2006 All-Ireland final, I said at the time that I had never seen a better defender and I haven't seen anything to change my mind since. I have never seen a better defender than JJ Delaney.
"It's a hugely responsible position and you need a very talented player, and a player with a great instinct for the game. With JJ his instinct for defending was complete,"said Cody.
"As a wing-back he was massive and there was never a question he could play full-back. We just knew he could play full-back at a massive level.
"I could talk about Tommy (Walsh) too and have said many times before that to me Tommy was the game of hurling: nobody epitomises it more than Tommy Walsh did. Just outstanding in every aspect. He was everything.
"Brian Hogan gave massive service and was the top centre-back in the game for a number of years definitely and there was outstanding service from Aidan Fogarty for many years. He was man of the match in the 2006 All-Ireland final. David Herity as well gave terrific service."
