Michael Phelan was surprised to be called into the Kilkenny squad for the Leinster championship and even more surprised to be included in the side to play Dublin in Parnell Park next Sunday.
A bad run of injuries, including two broken collarbones, interrupted the 31yearold Phelan's appearances for both club and county but good performances for Glenmore in more recent times appear to have impressed the selectors and he lines out at centre forward on Sunday. "It was a big surprise to get back in the side and I am looking forward to the match. I have never played at Parnell Park before but the lads who had a training spell there recently say that, although it looks small, it is quite a big pitch with a good surface, so we will have no complaints," he said. Phelan's inclusion seems designed to add strength and an added cutting edge to the attack. His power, allied to considerable skill, may prove to be one of the major problems for Dublin.
"My only worry at the moment is that I was unable to train up until three weeks ago with a hamstring problem. I have had a bad run of injuries, including two collarbones, wrist injuries, hamstring and stitches, but I have been playing well for the club and, although I will have strapping on the hamstring that is only as a precaution and I am hopeful of lasting the entire match.
"We will certainly not be taking Dublin for granted. They have kept a very low profile and could be very dangerous. We are coming off a bad run and Dublin cannot be underestimated.
"Last year they gave us a very hard match for three-quarters of the game and only two late goals took us clear. Quite honestly, for most of the match there was only a puck of the ball between the sides and Michael O'Grady is a very shrewd manager. We expect a fierce battle without any question," he says.
The presence of two of his former Kilkenny team-mates in the Dublin side will, he says, add a little extra bite to the match. "I am sure that Eamonn (Morrissey) and Shiner (Jamesie Brennan) in the side certainly adds a little bit extra. They were in the side when we won All-Ireland medals in 1992 and '93 but now I'm sure they would love to win a medal with Dublin, beating Kilkenny on the way. "I certainly hope they don't do that at our expense on Sunday. We will be wary of them from the start and will try and get off to a good start ourselves. We will have to improve on recent performances and our supporters will expect that and will not be happy with anything but a win," he says.
He accepts that the presence of D J Carey in the Kilkenny jersey will be a big boost. "Everybody knows that there is a certain shortage of talent in the county right now and we just couldn't afford to lose a player of his calibre. To be honest, the announcement of his retirement was more of a surprise than his comeback. It all happened very quickly but everybody is glad that he is back. He means a lot to the side.
"I'm quite happy to be picked at centre forward. That is where I am playing for Glenmore. I played at midfield and full forward, but now I have come full circle and, as long as I'm in the side, I don't care," he says. A win would put Kilkenny into the Leinster semi-final against Laois with Wexford and Offaly in the other half of the draw. If Kilkenny go on to win that match and qualify for the Leinster final they will be into the quarter-finals of the All-Ireland series. He seems a little uncertain about letting beaten provincial finalists back into the championship. "I know it is a two-year experiment and that it was a success last year with some great hurling being played, but unless one of the weaker teams like Waterford or Dublin come through to get into the quarter-finals the experiment might be dropped.
"Mind you, I don't want to see Dublin come through this year. We will do our best to see that they don't. As far as the GAA in general is concerned the experiment was a success and the big crowds made it worth while as far as gate receipts were concerned so I think it will be continued," he said.
As far as conditions are concerned he wants a dry day without any wind. "A couple of showers on Saturday night and a nice dry, warm day on Sunday would be ideal. A good firm sod, not too hard, would be good for both sides and would allow us to play good fast hurling. "It is a very important match for both sides. Dublin have been threatening to make a breakthrough for a few years and they seem to have worked very hard in the build-up to this match. But there is no sentiment in this kind of a match and Kilkenny will be all out to make sure that they don't allow Dublin to spring a surprise. "I think we have a well balanced team and we should win but we will not be over-confident," he says. Kilkenny have selected Canice Brennan at centre back, a decision that will arouse great interest in Kilkenny. It will be remembered that Kilkenny supporters were highly critical of Brennan some time ago with suggestions that he would not have been in the team but for the fact that his brother Nickey was manager. Now, with Nickey no longer in charge, he is included in a crucial position and is ready to prove his detractors wrong.
Kilkenny (SH v Dublin): J Dermody; T Hickey, P O'Neill, L Keoghan; M Kavanagh, C Brennan, W O'Connor; P Larkin, P Barry; D J Carey, M Phelan, B McEvoy; N Moloney, P J Delaney, C Carter.
