TIPPERARY v KILKENNY: Kilkenny's Richie Power tells Ian O'Riordanthat manager Brian Cody has no intention of moving on anytime soon despite last September's defeat

ANYONE WONDERING whether Brian Cody still has the appetite for a 13th consecutive season in charge of Kilkenny might want to know what Richie Power thinks. If anything, says Power, Cody’s hunger is greater now than ever, especially as he seeks to make amends for last September’s All-Ireland defeat to Tipperary.

“First of all there was no doubt at all that Brian would come back,” says Power, who enjoyed his best season so for under Cody in 2010.

“All the players knew that, and all the players wanted him back. There was never a question of it. Brian’s record speaks for itself. He’s already after bringing Kilkenny to 10 All-Ireland finals, and that’s a phenomenal record.

“You can’t buy that sort of experience, even if you wanted to. And his appetite for the game hasn’t changed. He’s more determined this year than ever to get us back on top.

“It’s a long way to go, but he’s taking it one step at a time. There are a lot of new guys after being brought in since last September, and he’s building again for the future. So I can’t see him going anywhere soon.”

A word of warning perhaps to those who feel Kilkenny’s defeat last September would mark the beginning of the end for Cody. Clearly he has no intention of moving on anytime soon. In the meantime the first chance for some consolation for losing the All-Ireland comes on Saturday evening when Kilkenny open their Allianz Hurling League with a rematch against Tipperary, under floodlights, in Thurles.

Both teams will be without several first-choice players, and in fact, Power himself misses out as he’s still recovering from a minor hip surgery.

He’ll be back within two to three weeks, although there will be a much longer wait for the likes of Henry Shefflin and John Tennyson, who both suffered the dreaded cruciate knee injury in the run up to last September’s final.

There have also been a couple of retirements, as Derek Lyng and James Ryall have both called time on their intercounty careers, but again Power has no doubt both Shefflin and Tennyson will soon back, as hungry as ever.

“Henry will be back this year,” says Power. “I have no doubt about that. There’s no one that can replace the likes of Henry, and knowing the sportsman he is, he’ll be back stronger than ever. Henry’s so determined I can guarantee you he’ll be around for a couple of years to come.

“He’s never missed a championship game, and put his body through so much pain and suffering to get make the All-Ireland last year.

“He didn’t make it through, and obviously his loss was massive, his leadership qualities, everything that he brings to the game is huge. But it’s also up to every one of us to step into that leadership role. We can’t always be looking over to Henry to get an inspiring score or do something inspiring to lift the rest of us.”