James Stephens star Cian Kenny has opened up about the club’s recent relegation and the challenges that lie ahead, while also sharing his optimism about the appointment of Kilkenny legend Eoin Larkin as their new manager.
Speaking to KCLR Sport at the launch of the Kilkenny GAA Yearbook, Kenny admitted that the sting of dropping to the intermediate grade remains with him.
“It still doesn’t sit well with me, after that year that’s gone by with the club,” he said. “It’s not a nice place to be, and it’s something in the back of the head every day. Every day.”
The James Stephens man also highlighted the task ahead as the team looks to bounce back under Larkin’s guidance.
“Eoin, Jackie [Tyrrell], and all coming into us—no better men to drive us on and lead us. There is extreme ability in our team, and hope is one thing that we will have going into intermediate. But intermediate is not a nice place either; it’s very, very tough. And the standard in Kilkenny hurling… you’d even say intermediate is a senior kind of grade too.”
Kenny emphasized the importance of regrouping and reigniting the team spirit to reclaim their place among Kilkenny’s elite clubs.
“We know the challenges ahead—it’s just time now to get the spirit in the group and get back up there again as fast as we can, please God.”
You can hear more from Cian Kenny on this week’s episode of the KCLR Hurling Podcast, available now wherever you get your podcasts.
