Kilkenny IHC Preview- Mick Kenny aiming to continue early promise for Lisdowney

Lisdowney go into this year’s Michael Lyng Motors Hyundai intermediate hurling championship as one of the favourites to win it out and for club stalwart Michael Kenny, the ability to field four teams this year has been a big positive.

“Out in Lisdowney we have four adult teams and the third team got to the county final at Junior C while our Juniors won the All-County League so all the teams are pushing on each other and there’s a good feeling in the club,” he said.

“When lads are performing on the junior team, they are given a chance on the intermediate side and it’s then up to them whether they take it or not and that competition keeps the whole thing moving and makes training competitive.”

The North Kilkenny side go into this weekend’s quarter-final under the backing of Trevor Fletcher. After the Offaly man led Shinrone to a first ever senior club crown last term, they will be hoping for similar success in Lisdowney.

“The new management have brought huge experience to the setup and they’ve been there and done it.

“John Carroll was with us last year too and they are giving us a gameplan that if we execute it properly, we are hopeful we can win any game,” Kenny added.

The league went well for Lisdowney but Kenny and the entire squad know they will be judged on what happens from here on as they look to better last year’s county semi-final defeat to Mooncoin.

“There will be a completely different intensity when it comes to championship as it’s a different game altogether with the hits being bigger and the speed magnified as well.

“We need to be ready to peak for championship and that’s the aim.

“After playing senior for two years, we know that’s where we want to get back to and that will be the big goal for us, as it will be for many other teams at this level.”

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