Former Kilkenny goalkeeper David Herity has hailed the contribution of midfielders Michael Fennelly and Conor Fogarty as the Cats look to secure another All-Ireland final date at the expense of Waterford.
It’s a successive semi-final meeting of the counties and another opportunity for the Deise to record a first championship win over the Cats since 1959.
In looking ahead to this latest renewal, Herity, a two-time All-Ireland winner himself, not surprisingly sees midfield as a key area but is happy that Kilkenny are well served there by the presence of Fennelly and Fogarty.
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“Michael Fennelly and Conor Fogarty have been brilliant all year and they’ve continued on the form from last year and 2014,” Herity outlined to RTÉ Sport.
"Both of them are real dynamos in that they break tackles and set up scores. In last year’s semi-final, Austin Gleeson spoke about getting hit by Michael Fennelly and needing ten minutes to recover.
"If Waterford can quell the influence of Fennelly and Fogerty, then they have a chance. But Kilkenny, not just in midfield, have a hunger and drive all over the pitch and then you have their work rate. It’s a constant work rate and I can’t see that dropping on Sunday."
Herity is confident his former colleagues have a launchpad that can drive them to victory on Sunday, but he nevertheless believes that Derek McGrath’s side are not without a chance in making a first final since 2008.
“I think Waterford winning the Munster U-21 was a timely reminder to Kilkenny of the players they have available and has given the side a huge boost ,” he said.
“Waterford have lost the last three finals they’ve been in at senior level so they are going to be up for it. I can see them coming out of the traps quickly on Sunday and trying to blow Kilkenny away early on.
“If they don’t it’s going to be the usual Kilkenny in the second half, where if they can run at you as they’ve shown in their last two games, they can blow teams away in ten minutes and finish off the game.
“In saying that, I think Waterford can cause an upset.”
And while Kilkenny are well used to success, the Dunnamaggin native did point on that those who wear the lack and amber shirt will always to be involved at the business end of the championship.
“If you chat to the players they are still highly focused. It’s still a huge honour to get to an All-Ireland final. Not to win an All-Ireland is deemed a disaster in any year, but not to get to a final is unthinkable.
“They’ve put in a lot of hard work, like every other team, and they’ll want to get back there.”
Watch live coverage of Kilkenny v Waterford on RTÉ One and the RTÉ Player from 1445. Highlights of all the weekend's action on The Sunday Game on RTÉ One and the RTÉ Player from 2130.
