Slaughtneil won't be getting caught up with TJ, says McKaigue
January 02, 2020
St Thomas' David Burke tackles TJ Reid of Ballyhale Shamrocks. ©INPHO/James Crombie.
Slaughtneil will not be zoning in on a plan to stop TJ Reid in this Sunday’s clash with Ballyhale Shamrocks, according to Chriss McKaigue.
The Derry champions take on the Kilkenny giants at Pairc Esler, Newry (throw-in 2pm) for a place in the All-Ireland club SHC final.
Speaking to the Irish Mirror, McKaigue says it won’t just be a case of his team putting their best man-marker on Reid – top-scorer in last year’s All-Ireland SHC with 5-83 – in the hope to reduce his influence over the 60 minutes.
“They have TJ Reid, (Adrian) Mullen and (Colin) Fennelly in their forward line. That's three of the Kilkenny starting forwards so where does your best man-marker go there?
“You're facing the most decorated club, that in itself, you have the stereotype of a Derry club versus a Kilkenny club, you've that and the stereotype that we've been there before and failed. They have been the opposite.
“There's many different challenges. We honestly wouldn't be getting caught up with TJ Reid because we'd be trying to put out too many fires to worry just about one.”
He added: “Calling a spade and spade, technically we would be a little bit behind Kilkenny hurling teams because we're just not privy to the same level of intensity or level of hurling so we've had to work really hard on our technical skills which we have zoned in on the last while.”
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