Former Cuala and Dublin Senior Goalkeeper, Damian Byrne, has paid tribute to the influence of the Dalkey side’s manager, Mattie Kenny, ahead of Sunday’s AIB Leinster Club SHC semi-final against Kilkenny champions Clara in Parnell Park (2.0).
“The introduction of Mattie Kenny has brought a whole new steel to the team, and their hurling skills have gone up - first touch, scoring, all that,” says Damian who lined out for the Dubs in the 1991 Leinster SHC final defeat to Kilkenny.
“Mattie is the top layer of the cake. We’ve put all the stuff together, we’ve nurtured it over the last 20 years and looked after them and got the skill level up - but it’s really at the serious business side of things that he has brought a whole new ball game to it.”
Cuala outclassed Offaly’s Coolderry by 14-points in their provincial quarter-final in Tullamore but face a far more difficult test this Sunday.
Byrne wore the No 1 jersey when Cuala contested their only Leinster final - in 1989. They had beaten the previous year’s All-Ireland champions, Wexford’s Buffers Alley, in a replay but lost to Kilkenny’s Ballyhale Shamrocks in the provincial decider.
“Any team from Kilkenny” must be respected says Damian. Sunday will decide if the Dalkey men can make it back to a Leinster Club SHC decider".