Kilkenny IHC Preview- Danesfort looking to make up for poor 2023 season

After a nightmare 2023 season that saw Danesfort lose all five league games and the following two relegation playoff clashes with Shamrocks and Erin’s Own, the 2022 intermediate winners should feel a little more at home as they embark on their championship journey.

Team captain Diarmuid Phelan acknowledges that it was a year to forget and that they didn’t show their true form so they will be hoping to bounce back in style.

“We never really proved ourselves at senior level last year as we lost every game and we didn’t really do ourselves justice.

“We kind of regrouped at the start of this year and we all said that we’d do our best to try get back up to senior and give a proper run at it like Thomastown have done so far so there’s probably a little bit of pressure on us.”

After such a disappointing showing last term, Danesfort were always going to come into this campaign in motivated fashion and with youngsters Ben Whitty and Anthony Ireland Wall adding to the influence of former Kilkenny players Paul Murphy and Richie Hogan, the club got back on the winning trail during the league.

“We started off very well in our first game against Rower Inistioge and we’d another good game with Dunnamaggin before we lost our way a bit in the Carrickshock and Lisdowney games where we had a few mistakes but hopefully come the next day we can improve again,” the Danesfort full-back added.

“You always feel you have a bit of a safety net with the opening few games but after getting some crucial points on the board, all eyes are now on the opening round of the championship.”

Kilkenny minor boss and O’Loughlin Gaels clubman Niall Bergin is back involved with the side after guiding the club to that intermediate county title two years ago and Phelan is hugely complimentary on his influence with the team.

“Niall is a very good trainer and a very good manager and he knows his stuff.

“Every training is different and all the drills are different so it’s very good as you are always improving and we are just glad to have him with us.”

With a little more responsibility as skipper of the team and a talented squad on paper, Phelan is hoping the ’Fort can show their true colours from this weekend as they look to make a big impact on this year’s championship.

“As a player you are aiming all year for the first round of the championship and you want to do the best that you can.

“You try not to think about the hurling as much as you can in the days before games but after that you just go out and try and do your bit for the team.”

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