Cody on cloud nine after SHC final win
Monday, 4 September 2006 11:38Click here to watch highlights of Kilkenny's victory over Cork.
Kilkenny boss Brian Cody says he's on top of the world following yesterday's 1-16 to 1-13 All-Ireland SHC final win over rivals Cork.
Speaking in this morning's Irish Times, the Cats manager said:
'Ah, sure, it was brilliant. That feeling at the final whistle. It's still there now and probably will be for a while. And sure it's been a brilliant year, really, because we weren't scripted to do this at the start of it. Nor the middle of the year, even three quarters into the year.
'That's not being smart because I said all along we were a team in transition. And still are. But sometimes you can do things while you're there. You can't pick and choose when you want to win an All-Ireland. But this is just the most magnificent feeling in the world...I suppose we were looked at as a team that couldn't win, a few months ago. That doesn't often happen in Kilkenny.'
He added: 'It wasn't about stopping the Cork three-in-a-row, at all. They set the standard and fought to the bitter end. But the hunger to win the All-Ireland is the be-all and end-all for every player, everything else emanates from that.
'There's a massive honesty and talent in our panel. And I believe, and the players would agree, that possibly the greatest skill in hurling is tackling, the ability to block, and put pressure on players. Anybody can hit the ball...but the game is so seriously intense now, and fitness levels massive, and without that you won't win anything.'
