KILKENNY, for once, may not be involved in next Sunday's Leinster hurling semi final showpiece at Croke "Park, but the county's influence in the Dublin team to face Wexford is inescapable.
Sean Buckley, the coach cum trainer and selector, captained Kilkenny in the 1960s and there are four former Kilkenny players in the current panel. "What more could you ask for in any hurling team than a Kilkenny influence," said Buckley.
When Buckley played with Kilkenny from 1963 to 1970 he was surrounded by some of the greatest players - Ollie Walsh, Eddie Keher, Clause Dunne, Pat Henderson, Seamus Cleere and Jim Treacy.
He welcomes the chance afforded Eamonn Morrissey, Jamesie Brennan, Mick Morrissey and Mick Dunne, (currently on the injured list) to help rejuvenate hurling in Dublin. He would dearly love to be associated with a major hurling breakthrough for the Dubliners.
"A breakthrough is definitely essential for hurling in the city. It would be a marvellous boost for Dublin to beat Wexford and get into a Leinster final again, and to do well in it would be tremendous," he said.
"We are quietly optimistic for Sunday. We played them twice, in the league in Parnell Park when we gave a very good account of ourselves. A little bit of inexperience in the long run beat us - we gave away a few frees that proved vital in the end".
"We played them again on a heavy Wexford Park pitch in the Walsh Cup semi final and we drew with them. It went into extra time and again we gave away the few frees that counted in the end. So, on those two performances we stand a good chance.
"In Dublin we have such a small pool of players of intercounty standard to draw from. The difference between the Dublin footballers compared with the hurlers is immense. In that context you can understand how delighted we were to acquire the services of the likes of Brennan band Morrissey," said Buckley.
Buckley is close to the heart of Dublin hurling as he is based at Pairc Naomh Uinsionn as a Fas administrator on behalf of the GAA.
He feels that open transfers, whereby players could move from county to county in a controlled way to help the weaker hurling counties, would greatly benefit the game. But he would not be in favour of transfers being allowed willy nilly across the board."
Commenting on Sunday's opponents, Buckley said: "Wexford will be coming to Croke Park on Sunday feeling extremely positive. Their individual merits are based on the abilities of such players as Martin Storey,
Flood, Larry Murphy and Liam, Dunne. Martin Storey is a class unto himself and young Flood was exceptional at corner back against Kilkenny.
"What we have to avoid on Sunday is allowing Wexford dictate from the beginning. That's the real problem facing us. To stop this happening is something we will not know how to combat until Sunday.
"It is difficult to pinpoint the weak points in this Wexford team. I wish I could at this stage and work on them but, to be honest, we are not exactly worrying about Wexford. It would be wrong for us to worry about the opposition before getting out on the pitch.
"We will be concentrating on our own work and getting our own act together and then applying it where we can and as committed and enthusiastically as we can" said Buckley.
Meanwhile, Offaly midfielder Johnny Pilkington has disregarded doctor's orders by removing the plaster from his broken thumb weeks ahead of schedule.
Pilkington, who returned from England last night where he was on business, removed the support from a breakage sustained in the quarter final against Meath. Apparently he feels it may give him a psychological boost and improve his chances of passing tomorrow morning's fitness test to figure in Sunday's Leinster senior hurling semi final against Laois at Croke Park.
The damage occurred when the ball crashed heavily on his thumb as he stretched to catch it just before half time in the Meath match. Remarkably he played on and finished with two points. The plaster was not due to be taken off until next week at the earliest. "We know our Johnny," remarked his sister yesterday.
Pilkington's possible exclusion coupled with Daithi Regan's hamstring injury severely limits Offaly's midfield strengths at a time when manager Eamonn Cregan is looking for a 100 per cent team improvement on the display against Meath.
Cregan confirmed that Regan will also be tested for fitness tomorrow morning. "Sunday's match will be something like Limerick and Clare. The team who wants to win most will hold the advantage. At this stage it is hard to say whether Johnny will pass the fitness test. If he doesn't he will have to be replaced and a midfield partner found for Michael Duignan."
Duignan figured in the left corner of attack against Meath but was called ashore and replaced by Declan Pilkington.
Meanwhile, Donegal mid fielder Brian Murray is making a satisfactory recovery to full fitness. Murray was ruled out of Donegal's clash with Down in the Ulster championship at the eleventh hour with what was first thought to be a broken ankle.
He expects to join his Kilcock clubmates shortly for light training in preparation for the Kildare championship.
