With excitement building ahead of Saturday’s All-Ireland Under 20 Hurling Final, Kilkenny manager Mark Dowling has praised the commitment and resilience shown by his panel throughout the season.
The Cats will take on Tipperary at 3pm in UPMC Nowlan Park. It’s the second part of a double-header, with the Kilkenny senior camogie team facing Waterford in their Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Championship clash at 12.30pm.
Speaking to KCLR ahead of the game, Dowling acknowledged the immense effort made by his young players to reach this stage.
“They’ve trained in the worst weather of the year, they’ve travelled from Dublin, Cork, Limerick and other places, gone back late and settled into study the next day,” he said. “Five, six, seven of them are doing the Leaving Cert, which is a heavy workload in itself — they’ll start their exams the Wednesday after the bank holiday weekend.”
“We’ve lads working too. It’s the workload that really amazes me — that they’re able to manage it all. They’re a durable group, physically and mentally. I don’t know where they get it from, but it’s very evident to me. They have a great ability to manage what they’re doing and to prioritise the right thing at the right time.”
Fans are being encouraged to #PackThePark and fill UPMC Nowlan Park with black and amber on Saturday. Tickets are available from usual outlets and through the Kilkenny GAA website.
If you can’t make it on the day, both games will be broadcast live on KCLR. The under 20 final is brought to you by Gerry Comerford Drilling Ltd, while the camogie clash is proudly supported by Crown Hair and Beauty, Kilkenny.
You can hear the full interview with Mark Dowling now on the KCLR Hurling Podcast.
