McGrath eager to start new rivalry with Cats
April 29, 2012The Rebels' failure to feature at the business end of the championship in recent years has meant the rivalry between hurling's two most successful counties hasn't been as intense, but that could all be about to change now that the Rebels seem to be on the way back under Jimmy Barry-Murphy.
"We'll be doing something right if Kilkenny start getting a bit of that grudge against us back again," Cork selector and 1999 All-Ireland winner McGrath told today's Irish Sun.
"The rivalry between Cork and Kilkenny never really goes away, it's always there because of what's happened in the past. It goes back generations, and at any given time it can suddenly take on a life of its own again when two teams start meeting each other a lot and are competitive.
"I'm sure that if we start to rise up the pecking order, the intensity and rivalry that was a feature of Cork and Kilkenny matches not too long ago will quickly return.
"For us, it's great to be playing in big games like this and testing ourselves against a team like Kilkenny. And for neutral fans as well, I'm sure they're gasping to see the old Cork-Kilkenny rivalry ignited again." Tweet
