Young blood needed if Kilkenny are to avoid unwanted record - All-Ireland winner claims

Eight-time All-Ireland winner with Kilkenny, Richie Power jnr believes it’s essential Kilkenny rediscovers their winning formula of old at minor and under-20 levels if the county is to end its barren run without Liam MacCarthy.

The Cats’ last taste of All-Ireland success came in 2015, beating Galway in a memorable final after a replay. However, just three players from that panel remain (Eoin Murphy, TJ Reid and Richie Reid) with Derek Lyng’s side on the brink of equalling the unwanted record of the county’s longest ever wait for an All-Ireland title, previously held between 1947 and 1957.

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Speaking at an event late last year, Power commented: "I can remember when I was playing minor and 21, obviously we were lucky to come with a brilliant team at the time but we were winning minor All-Irelands and that was progressing to win under-21s and then a lot of the under-21 team was making the step up to senior grade."

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"I think that’s where we as a county need to probably concentrate on and try and bridge that gap and break those two statistics," he added.

The county’s record at minor and under-20/under-21 levels has been far from golden over the past 15 years with just one under-20 (2022) and one minor (2014) All-Ireland Championship safely locked away in the UPMC Nowlan Park trophy cabinet in that period.

That worrying statistic is in stark contrast to the Noresiders’ unrivalled success at the turn of the millennium which saw the black and amber claim five under-21 and four minor crowns from 1999 to 2010.

The county’s need for emerging talent is arguably further compounded by the loss of inter-county stalwarts; Conor Fogarty, Walter Walsh and Cillian Buckley who were all ‘unbelievable servants’ in Power’s eyes, who himself is preparing to reach the tenth anniversary of his own inter-county retirement next year.

Speaking at a presentation to local charities who received from proceeds from the family’s auto-biography, ‘Power: A Family Memoir’, Power did admit that there is enough talent in Lyng’s ranks to compete for the top prize in 2025.

"We’re going to see a lot of youth, we’re going to see a lot of new players given a chance throughout the league but I don’t think Kilkenny are going to be a million miles away. I genuinely believe that," the two-time All-Star remarked.

“Every year you put on a Kilkenny jersey there’s pressure on you and there’s that expectation from the supporters that you’re going to be there or thereabouts and, in fairness, this team has been in the last 10 years."

"People will forget that they won five-in-a-row in Leinster and these things are forgotten about," he added.
achievement

The former Kilkenny forward, who has been plying his trade as a club manager and selector in recent years, claimed that Kilkenny’s successful provincial run has been an ‘unbelievable achievement’ and shouldn’t be dismissed analysing the All-Ireland equation for the new season, with the players showing ‘burning ambition’ to go one step further according to Power.

"Limerick win six-in-a-row in Munster and it’s an unbelievable achievement whereas Kilkenny have done the same in Leinster.
“Both competitions mightn’t be as strong but it’s still an unbelievable achievement from the players."

"I know from talking to one or two of them (the players) there over the last couple of weeks that there’s a burning ambition there to win an All-Ireland with Kilkenny," the Carrickshock clubman added.

"If Derek can just find three or four plays that can add something to it throughout the league, we give ourselves a good chance going into the championship but, as I said, there’s probably in my opinion four, maybe five, teams that can win the All-Ireland and Kilkenny are definitely in the conversation."

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