Kilkenny legend Eddie Keher believes that Brian Cody’s Cats panel is getting back to the sort of strength in depth it enjoyed when they won four All-Irelands in a row from 2006 to ’09.

Key players like Henry Shefflin, Tommy Walsh, JJ Delaney, and Aidan Fogarty have retired in the last couple of years yet Kilkenny have still managed to twin back to back All-Irelands even though the panel has been in a period of transition. And Keher believes they have blooded so many new players in that period of time that Cody now has options all over the field.

“I think we are getting to the same position now,” said Keher. “There are about two strong option is for the full back line, two for the half back line, two for centre field and if you take the six forwards I’d say there are two or four there as well so it will be  a strong team with lots of options leaving injuries aside.

“Padraig (Walsh) has so easily slotted into Tommy’s positon and is playing terrific. Cillian Buckley, Brian found his best position at wing back and he is extraordinary, and our own man from Rower Inistioge in the middle Kieran Joyce. It is very solid. The thing about the team at the moment is that we have more options in every line than we ever had. we have options in the full back line that we haven’t had."

Keher believes that the conveyor belt of talent in Kilkenny will continue to keep producing quality because a new generation of young hurlers have been inspired by the exploits of Cody’s team. 

“The teams of the last 15 years have inspired people in the county,” said Keher. Young people want to get into the development squads that are being managed by excellent former hurlers and then they have the pathway of the secondary schools like St Kieran’s CBS, and after that there is the minor and under-21.

“They see  a path ahead if they are good. From a Kilkenny point of view we are very fortunate that we have this constant flow of good talent. When you look at Brian’s attitude, that attitude permeates throughout the county, with club managers, school managers. It is extraordinary the attitude of young Kilkenny people, and I enjoy looking at the young feels carrying around hurls as if they were part of their uniform. They just have this great attitude, this love for the game. I am not going to say that it is going to bring victory all of the time, but I think we will always be there or thereabouts.”

Keher is predicting Kilkenny will go out with their usual cold determination to win against Clare in Sunday’s Allianz Hurling League semi-final. And he is expecting the Banner County to show the same appetite for battle.

“They are sort of playing it down that it is not that important and that they are focussing on the Munster championship but I think it is a big game for them,” said Keher. “It is a big game for Kilkenny too but I think they will be anxious to test themselves out against Kilkenny in preparations for the championship. They will be anxious to win it there will be no question about that. They are not going to ease off now coming towards the end of the league. A league final would do this Clare team a great service.”

Clare have slumped since winning the 2013 All-Ireland Final, but Keher believes they can be a force again this year.

"I was surprised because I saw them coming up through the grades with their great under-21 teams, they had everything going for them," said Keher. It is strange that the dip came. They are young enough to recover from  that and this year we might see a different Clare team and they will be well in contention.”