Ger Loughnane was widely criticised for his unusual comments slating the quality of the Kilkenny team despite them going for a third title in a row this year.
Looking at Kilkenny now and their personnel, there is no way that Kilkenny should be winning the All-Ireland.
There is no way this Kilkenny team should be going for three in-a-row. Teams that won three in-a-rows were legendary teams. Now the present Kilkenny team is functional beyond belief.
Kilkenny's Colin Fennelly described the comments as weird, but Michael Duignan has come out strongly in defense of the Kilkenny team. Speaking on Morning Ireland, Duignan said it was remarkable that the Black Cats have been able to win despite the high turnover in the squad. He thought it was more worthwhile to wonder why no other counties have been able to beat Kilkenny in their period of transition:
The Kilkenny team over the last couple of years has lost so many players through injury, through retirement, that they had to be vulnerable.
If it was me, I would have looked more at the opposition, that they couldn’t come through and beat Kilkenny.
Duignan then turned on Loughnane, and pondered why he would say such comments - before delivering a scathing line about whether he is in a position to say something about an All-Ireland winning team at all:
Ger played with great Clare great teams, great players over the years haven’t won All-Irelands, that doesn’t define you as a player.
Ger didn’t win an All-Ireland himself as a player and how he can knock players who won All-Ireland medals is beyond belief.
Burn.
See Also: Ger Loughnane: 'There Is No Way This Kilkenny Team Should Be Going For A Three-In-A-Row"
Picture credit: Matt Browne / SPORTSFILE
