Barry Hennessy enjoying border hurling banter ahead of Limerick's big clash with Cork

BARRY Hennessy has been enjoying the build-up to this weekend's All-Ireland senior hurling semi-final between Limerick and Cork.

The Kilmallock man lives just ten minutes away from Charleville in Cork. This rivalry is special given how close Hennessy is to the border. In his day job Cork people have been reminding him of the result between the sides earlier this year.

“For me, you are so close to the border. All those lads in South Limerick are on the border. There's been a bit of slagging over and back. I'm calling to hospitals down in Cork as part of my job on a daily basis. There would be a good bit of banter there.

“It's enjoyable and it's nice to be on this side of it now where you get to have these conversations with people. You're telling people about records and they're telling you they beat Limerick during the year. It's nice to have a different perspective on it now, you can engage in that part of it as opposed to trying to avoid it.”

The former Limerick shotstopper worked closely with Nickie Quaid during his inter-county career. Quaid's form this season comes as no surprise to him.

“I texted him after the Munster final against Clare about one the saves he made. I said that was probably one of the best saves I've ever seen him make. This year, for a guy who's 35, he's in the form of his life. He's probably pulled off more saves this year than he has throughout his career. They've all been high quality saves at crucial moments that have kept Limerick in games.”

Hennessy believes the Limerick goalkepper is in the conversation for Hurler of the Year. “He's shown that he's up there with the best in terms of shotstoopping. This year just watching him there's no signs of regression. They were saves that had to be made and he made them. I think people are starting to realise the importance and significance of him.”

Shane O'Brien is a player who impressed in the Munster final and Barry Hennessy has played club hurling with the Limerick attacker. In Kilmallock, they always knew there was something special about Shane O'Brien. “You would have seen Shane at underage level and then even when I went inside into Ardscoil Rís doing a bit of coaching with the Harty Cup team. You could see that this guy had something special.

“We have always said it at home in the club when this guy fills out he is going to be a giant of a man and really a force of nature. He has over the last few years. His dad Adrian is fairly well renowned in the S and C side of things and there was never going to be a doubt in that side of things.

“His maturity element has probably been the most impressive thing for me. It's very hard to go in there as such a young guy to such an established group. He's got a taste of gametime and they trust him. It's credit to him and the work that he has did. There is fellas that have been in there longer than them and Shane has leapfrogged them.”

One moment that stood out for Barry Hennessy was Shane O'Brien's first year plying at senior with the club.

“It was his first year senior with the club, you'd always be trying to look after the younger fellas in their first year.

“I rememeber one of the first balls that went down on top of him. We were there looking at him saying this fella is alright, we don't need to worry about him. He's well able to win his own ball and mind himself. To have the ability and that level of composure is invaluable. You could see very early in his year that this fella has everything to make it at the top level.”

The Lixnaw senior hurling manager expects John Kiely to pick his starting XV based on how players have been performing in training.

“In fairness to John, he's incredibly consistent he'll always say whoever is going well are that guys that will play. Himself and the management are very good at detaching the emotion from making the decisions. It'll be interesting to see the team that will be announced on Friday. It's whoever the form players are and they're the players John will put on the field.”
Hennessy is expecting another huge battle between Limerick and Cork.

“There will probably a tentative element to it. At the start you might see a little bit more chess where the teams will probably be trying not to make mistakes. Both teams will try to put their own stamp on the game early on.”

Barry Hennessy sees a repeat pairing of the All-Ireland final for the third year in-a-row.

“Limerick and Kikenny. I don't mean this disrespectfully but to me Clare are a team driven on emotion. I think Kilkenny will suffocate them and I think It'll be a repeat of Limerick and Kilkenny in the final again. A Cork team in Croke Park is a dangerous opposition but Limerick are very aware of that.”