Thanks for that, looking back we were lucky to be there at all, Galway nearly had the better of us.
I tipped galway to win the all Ireland this year, if joe canning had not went off injured it might have been a different result that day.
Agreed on the language after the game, I know emotions were , I thought it was unprofessional.
Brian Cody showed great character, I know there are many on here who are anti Kilkenny and I understand that, it's not good to have the same team winning all the time, that's said they are a serious outfit and they have lifted the quality of the game.
On top of that, two things stand out for me about Kilkenny, here in Westmeath hurling is very popular, while we might not be known for it (we had a player in the 30's/40's john "jobber" McGrath played hurling for a club beside here, long since gone it was only a townland, didn't even have a school, he played with Westmeath against Kilkenny and lost by a point, Kilkenny offered him a job with a major brewery to move and play for them, he declined.
Limerick hurler Mick Mackey was to have said the jobber was the greatest hurler he ever seen.)
A local team here were to play a club hurling game away against ballyhale shamrocks, not many big games are played in mullingar, they agreed to a change of venue. They won, but we won too, we had a great night out after.
Many of ye will remember Henry shefflin being sent off by Barry Kelly, (I think he made the wrong call) what many don't know about that day, is that barrys wife and mother of young twins was very ill with cancer.
She passed away, Brian Cody and many of the Kilkenny panel came up to the funeral.
I respect them for that, as do many people up here. They are good role models for young people.