By Irishexaminer.com,John Fogarty

Copyright irishexaminer

In time, David Herity, who is assisting him with the club at the moment, may return having helped coach Tipperary to this season’s All-Ireland SHC title, but from Brian Hogan who brought O’Loughlin Gaels to within a whisker of an All-Ireland senior title last year to Hogan’s club-mate and goalkeeping coach Stephen Murphy, son of former Cork dual star Brian, it’s an impressive set-up Shefflin has assembled.

“I think it proves how serious we are about improving our under-age fortunes,” says Kilkenny great Eddie Keher. “We haven’t been doing well at minor or U20 the last couple of years. We have the talent in the county and I think Henry’s appointment will give a great boost.

“We’re all very disappointed with our lack of success at underage level, so it needed a shake-up and I think this is a good move. Henry will be highly respected by young people and he will be able to bring them up and hopefully will bring contention in the year ahead.”

Suggestions that Shefflin was going to take over the U20s had grown in recent weeks and intensified once Lyng was ratified for another two seasons as senior manager. Not necessarily that Shefflin would have taken over from his old team-mate had he chosen to step down after three seasons. Some would still harbour bad feelings about the county’s most decorated hurler from his decision to become Galway manager in 2022.

Not that the U20 position is penance for a man who is overqualified for the position. Rather it is a perfect fit, a demonstration of Shefflin’s intent that he is in for the long haul and wants to try and address a humbling U20/U21 record of just one All-Ireland in 17 years.

The appointment is proof that Kilkenny hurling is healing and timely when their wait for an All-Ireland senior will extend to 11 years in 2026, their longest ever gap between titles. When the Cats have claimed just one All-Ireland (U20 in 2022) in their last 30 attempts across minor, U20 and senior, it’s essential that their best minds are available to them.

Some differences will remain, of course. Shefflin’s relationship with Brian Cody may never be the same again. There has been little indication that much has thawed between them since their uneasy exchanges following the Kilkenny-Galway Leinster games in 2022. The absence of Cody and his former selector James McGarry from Kilkenny’s 2000 All-Ireland winning jubilee team’s celebrations in July hardly dispelled that belief.

But in the books of other prominent Kilkenny figures like Keher, Shefflin is golden again. “We were naturally disappointed to lose him to Galway and it took us a while to get used to it,” admits Keher. “But it is in the past now and we’re delighted to have Henry back in the fold.”

Keher hopes Shefflin’s return inspires others to come back to help the county. Eddie Brennan had been the county’s U21 manager before moving to Laois and his decision to aid Lyng next season has also been welcomed.

The likes of Herity in Tipperary, Tom Mullaly in Carlow and Brian Dowling in Kildare are also requested home. “We need them all back now,” says Keher. “We’ve been competing strongly and I suppose there’ll be a lot of counties that will be delighted to be in All-Irelands but we don’t like that in Kilkenny. We want to be winning.

“I think the mood in Kilkenny in general has been that we need to bring back these guys who have helping been other teams. It’s time now to bring them back to their home county.”

After leading Shamrocks to back-to-back All-Irelands, Shefflin resumed the role he left in early 2020. They may not carry the aura of the team he managed to 17 straight championship wins between 2018 and ’20 but Keher likes what he sees from a team who put up 1-32 against Erin’s Own last weekend.

“I have loved watching Ballyhale Shamrocks but in the past they would have been a bit sluggish in the league. But they look a different team to me this year and I would say it’s from Henry that they are getting that inspiration after not winning the last couple of senior championships. Every match they’ve improved.

“I know they have a tough battle next weekend (in the quarter-final) against Thomastown and they’re missing a few players, but I think Shamrocks are coming back to their best and Henry is probably a strong part of that. That bodes well for the U20s.”