Kilkenny selector refuses to be drawn on Shefflin

Kilkenny selector Michael Dempsey has admitted "positions are up for grabs" ahead of Saturday's All-Ireland SHC final replay against Tipperary, but refused to be drawn on what part Henry Shefflin might play in the game.

The role of 11-time All Star Shefflin has emerged as something of a conundrum for Brian Cody and his management team.

The Ballyhale Shamrocks talisman is seeking for a remarkable 10th All-Ireland title but was restricted to a cameo from the subs' bench in the drawn game.

Asked about Shefflin's fate by RTE Sport, Dempsey said he was "going well – he's in great shape" but that team selections took "quite a while" in Kilkenny.

Reflecting on the drawn game, Dempsey said: "He probably wasn't on long enough to make a real impact in the game, but at the same time he is a calming presence when he does come on to the pitch. He's good to organise and he's inspirational."

Dempsey said Kilkenny's selectors were looking for improvement, but kept his cards close to his chest about exactly how they were planning to achieve this, except to say that Kilkenny would "be trying to score more, and obviously we'd be trying to keep the score down at the other end.

"And I'm sure Tipperary will be looking at the same. They had some missed chances. They scored quite a lot, but I'm sure they'll be looking to score more and possibly to concede less, also."

Dempsey described the drawn game as "fantastic" but denied that Kilkenny would have learned lessons from their experience of the replayed final against Galway in 2012.

He admitted players needed time for recovery following a draining first match.

"[We would] be trying to score more, and obviously we'd be trying to keep the score down at the other end." - Michael Dempsey

"Anybody in this area of preparing teams would just see a replay as another block of training," he said.

"So whether it's two or three weeks you get, it's another block of training where players need time to recover, physically, [and] psychologically – you're left in limbo-land, [with] no result.

"Players are looking forward to meeting their families that night and their friends and all of that has to be put on hold. They may have taken a few days off work, also, [and be] looking forward to getting back to their clubs."

Asked how Kilkenny maintained their hunger for success given the remarkable success of the Brian Cody period - nine All-Ireland titles in the past 15 seasons - Dempsey said: "We happen to be dealing with an exceptional bunch of players in terms of their attitude.

"Obviously, the culture and tradition of Kilkenny is very important. Players represent players who have gone before them and want to live up to that standard.

"And I suppose it's driven very much by Brian Cody, who is just an exceptional person and an exceptional manager. So the players take their lead from his passion and his enthusiasm.

"Training plays a part. We have to be conscious of the fact that players would have had injuries in the past [in] how we plan our training [with a view to] keeping them fresh.

"But it's basically down to the attitude of the players and it's down to Brian Cody, who just drives the players himself, and leaves no stone unturned.

"It's his example [which] is infectious. So you can call it management or you can call it leadership. But Brian is largely responsible for that freshness and that attitude and that hunger that still exists among the players."

Live coverage of Kilkenny v Tipperary in the All-Ireland hurling final replay from 4.15pm on RTÉ2 (throw-in 5pm). Watch live on RTÉ Player (Ireland only) and worldwide via GAAGO. Live radio coverage on RTÉ Radio 1.

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