Kilkenny legends ready to give Cody a taste of his own medicine
By COLIN BARTLEY
CATS manager Cody might get an idea of what it felt like to be every other hurling manager, player, and fan in the noughties and earlier part of this decade.
Not only is Cody in the middle of trying to mastermind what could be his finest hour as Kilkenny manager, but he has found time to run the line at a charity match, Hurling for Cancer Research, this evening.
When the legendary Cats manager looks out onto the pitch he will see many familiar faces on the opposition team, players that brought so much success to Kilkenny in the noughties and so much anguish to supporters and players from every other county.
The star-studded match is in aid of the Irish Cancer Society takes place this evening in St Conleth’s Park, Newbridge in Kildare.
Brian Cody accepted the invite by one of the organisers, champion jockey Davy Russell, to put a bit of shape on his team and stop a team stacked with legendary Cats.
He faces off against a team assembled by champion trainer Jim Bolger and managed by Wexford winning manager, Liam Griffin. It’s a team that will have a very familiar look to it.
Cody will have to figure out a way to curtail Cats legends, Tommy Walsh, Jackie Tyrell, Aidan Fogarty, Eddie Brennan, and Charlie Carter if he has any chance of winning.
The rest of Jim Bolger’s team is made up of some of hurling, camogie and soccer’s finest. Lee Chin, Liam Óg McGovern, Michael Duignan, Ursula Jacobs, Ollie Canning, and Stephen Hunt.
Cody has only two of his old lieutenants to call on in the guise of J.J Delaney and Joe Lyng. The two former Cats will be joined by some greats of the game and a dashing Mayo forward – Aishling Thompson, John Mullane, Brendan Cummins, Shane Dowling, Niall Quinn, and Conor Mortimer.
Last year almost 6,000 crammed into Newbridge for the event and Hurling for Cancer Research has raised a massive €830,000 for the Society’s vital cancer research projects since it began in 2012.
Gates open at 4:30 pm with pre-match entertainment before throw-in at 6 pm. Tickets cost €10 for adults and €15 for families.
