The novel experience of losing a Kilkenny hurling final has led to another for Eoin Cody. "It's the first time since I've been hurling senior with Ballyhale and Kilkenny that I've taken part in Kilkenny pre-season", says Cody, speaking at the launch of the AIB GOAL Mile.
He's three weeks in, thinking a few extra yards now might help next summer. However, he did miss a session at the weekend, along with the PwC All-Stars ceremony, as he was in Cheltenham for the stag part of club and county teammate Richie Reid.
Though he was named Young Hurler of the Year in 2020 and 2021, Cody only won his first All-Star this year. His father Larry collected the award.
Pictured is Kilkenny hurling Captain, Eoin Cody who has come on board as an AIB ambassador for this year’s GOAL mile. Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Bryan Keane
"Himself and the mother went up, they had a great night," says Cody.
"They ran into a few of the Limerick lads, Clare lads and Galway lads and couldn't get over the size of them. He couldn't get over the sheer size of the muscle in the lads."
Last month's one-point defeat to O'Loughlin Gaels was "heartbreaking" for Cody and his Ballyhale teammates.
"We put in an awful lot of work this year considering we were missing four or five very important players," says Cody.
"During the summer, in fairness to the boys, they could be out there training with maybe just three hurlers when we're with county and maybe a few lads are gone to America for the summer. There could be a junior game on where they have the bare 15, maybe even 14.
"This year, to be missing Brian (Cody), Ronan Corcoran, who was our captain last year, Joe Cuddihy, who'd put over three or four points a game, Joey Holden, the best club hurler in the whole country for the last five or six years... For a small, rural club, it wasn't easy.
17 November 2023; Larry Cody, representing his son Eoin Cody of Kilkenny, is presented with his PwC All-Star award by Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Larry McCarthy, in the company of Gaelic Players Association chief executive Tom Parsons and PwC managing partner Enda McDonagh during the 2023 PwC GAA/GPA All-Star Awards at the RDS in Dublin. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
"It will bring on the five or six lads who hadn't been playing in the last couple of years that got chances this year. Once the boys come back, that will add to the panel and the strength we have.
"We hadn't gone well in the league. It was probably the worst league campaign we had over a couple of years. We hadn't been hurling well. Things weren't looking great.
"That win over the 'Boro in championship really drove us on. Dicksboro are a great team, they're up and coming and are going to be there again in the next couple of years. They were probably favourites before the start of the championship. We got over the line with 14 men and that drove us on.
"We had a great win against the Village (James Stephens) and fell one point short against a brilliant O'Loughlins team."
While in Cheltenham, Cody missed a fitness test which was part of Kilkenny's pre-season training.
"Adrian Mullen was the winner," says Cody after being asked who'd win a race over a mile in Kilkenny training.
"Cillian Buckley wasn't too far behind. Maybe Adrian has a few years on Buckley. Adrian is a beast when it comes to that. Adrian would be up there with the fittest county players in all of Ireland."
This year AIB and GOAL are calling on GAA clubs to ‘Step Up Together’ this festive season and host their own GOAL mile to raise funds to support vulnerable communities across the world. AIB is also offering people the chance to win €1,000 for their GAA club simply by registering for their GOAL Mile by visiting www.goalmile.org and also registering their club for the AIB GAA GOAL Mile competition at www.jotform.com/team/232784181278060/AIBGoalMileCompetition2023.
