Kilkenny hurler Paddy Deegan has full faith in the Cats’ young guns, as they aim to build on a promising 2018.
Brian Cody’s side won the Allianz National League, and pushed eventual All-Ireland finalists Galway and Limerick close in the championship. The year was all the more positive from a Kilkenny point of view, given the number of debuts handed out.
“Them young lads that came in and made their debuts, they’re all exceptional hurlers,” explained the O’Loughlin Gaels man. “They’re all hurling Fitzgibbon [Cup] like Richie Leahy and John Donnelly, they’re good young lads. They’re grounded and they know what we have to do, so we’re looking forward to this year now.
“A club mate of mine, Huw Lawlor could get a chance, he was fullback against Wexford last week,” he added, when asked who could break into the side this year. “He has massive potential, he has a great attitude and he is grounded like the rest of the young lads. He is physically strong. He’s about 6 foot 4. He has been exceptional for O’Loughlin Gaels the last few years.”
Deegan admitted that entering the Kilkenny panel for the first time, rubbing shoulders with multiple All-Ireland winners is a nervy experience:
“It was a bit nerve-wracking at the time going in first to the dressing room you get nervous, but you have to put that to the one side fairly quickly and just get on with the work and try your best to get onto the team and help them win.
“I just want to be playing hurling and playing hurling with Kilkenny is a dream come true, especially when you’ve been watching them growing up so much you want to be there and experience it so when you get your chance you just want to try and hold on to it.
“I think the young lads are coming in and they are going to be nervous, but like I said they are grounded and they are exceptionally good hurlers. they are going to work hard.”
Kilkenny played their role in the epic 2018 championship, and Deegan feels intercounty hurling is thriving at present.
“I suppose I didn’t have much experience of the old structure, I played one year then last year was the new structure,” he explained. “Personally, I enjoy it because you are hurling constantly, you are playing matches, you get to play the whole time.
“You are enjoying it because you are playing so much.
“It’s fiercely competitive. There are five or six teams, even seven or eight teams you could even say that are capable of winning the championship.”
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