Delaney unmoved by victory margins

Hurling: With their 30-point hammering of Wexford last Sunday, Kilkenny became the first team to effectively book their place in the National Hurling League final. No matter what happens against Tipperary this Sunday they can already plan for a final day out, and perhaps the perfect send-off for the championship.

What they definitely won't be doing is looking back on Sunday as a source of renewed invincibility. According to defender JJ Delaney all that ever mattered was the result, and not what the scoreboard read.

"It was just a once-off," he said. "It's hard to explain what happened. I just know everything went right for us, and nothing went right for Wexford. And I know it was one of those games that will never happen again. If we play them tomorrow there could be a point or two between us, either way.

"We didn't think of it as an embarrassment or anything like that. And it didn't matter to us if it was by one point or 40 points last Sunday. There wasn't much you could say to the Wexford lads afterwards, but we know they'll get over it. We went down to Wexford Park last year and beat them by eight or nine points, and they came back to beat us in the Leinster championship."

Tipperary still have an outside chance of making the final if they can upset Kilkenny on home soil. But Delaney made it clear that Kilkenny hurlers don't back off in any situation.

"You just have to play your own game. Most of the Kilkenny players are trying to hold down their own position so you just have to look after yourself. If you don't play up to scratch you'll be replaced the next day.

"Brian Cody has always been a great believer in playing the top teams in the big games. And he wants to win every game we play, whether it's a game of cards or a game of hurling. If you're lucky enough to make the final it's definitely a real bonus."

Not that Kilkenny play hard in matches and hold off in training. It's now accepted that their training is just as competitive as their matches: "Yeah, well we all know that if you don't go well in training you won't make the team. Because that's what it's all based on.

"Right now we're just concerned about getting our own game in order. People say Cork don't try as much in the league, but I don't think they're going out there to lose. Or want to lose."

For the first time in eight years Kilkenny will go into the Leinster championship looking to win the title, rather than just defend it. Delaney believes that by getting this far in the league, they've got the preparations they wanted.

"The most important thing for us really was to get a good start in the league. We didn't start well last year and ended up in the relegation phase, and that didn't do us any good ahead of the championship. I'm not saying that was the reason we didn't win the All-Ireland, but it certainly didn't help."

Wexford's Diarmuid Lyng is out for five weeks because of a broken thumb sustained during last Sunday's defeat to Kilkenny.