Sweeper system ultimately doomed to failure - Shefflin

October 20, 2015

Kilkenny great Henry Shefflin.
©INPHO/Cathal Noonan.

Henry Shefflin believes no team deploying a sweeper will ever win an All-Ireland senior hurling title.

The Kilkenny legend points out that, at the very highest level, good attacking play will always come out on top. By utilising a sweeper, teams are robbing Peter to pay Paul and won't win the ultimate prize:

"I don't think so, from personal experience. I think Waterford got to a very high standard this year and probably got to the level you can get to.

"If you think back to Dublin a few years ago, they did something similar against Tipperary in the 2011 semi-final. Nearly beat Tipperary but didn't beat them, you restrict one end and I feel you have to get the scores the other.

"A lot of people say, 'Well Kilkenny defenders go back', and we talk about the second half of the All-Ireland final. Yeah, they went back, but they were back up the field again. They were just ravenous for the ball more so than tactics I would imagine.

"It'll get you so far but you just need to have that attacking style. We saw in the rugby as well, I think attack wins out."


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