Eddie Brennan has described his injured Kilkenny attacking colleague Henry Shefflin as 'irreplaceable'.

Shefflin's cruciate ligament tear means that Brennan is now the only player likely to start next month's All-Ireland final who has featured in all seven Liam McCarthy Cup successes under Brian Cody's watch.

"It's heartbreaking news for him," said the Graigue-Ballycallan clubman, who has formed a deadly attacking partnership with Shefflin over the past decade.

"He's simply irreplaceable for us as a player and as a member of the panel. You'd be at a loss for words to describe the value of Henry to our team.

"Everyone on the panel is striving to start and all that, but it's fierce disappointing for Henry that he won't be there to play the match and I suppose that's the hardest place to be, to be sitting watching a match. You're just helpless."

Brian Cody was also struggling to put into words how big a loss Shefflin would be to the five-in-a-row chasing Cats.

The Kilkenny manager said: "This is very, very tough on Henry. There is a very human side to something like this.

"It is all so sad for Henry and his family. He is a massive person, not just a hurler, and he will be badly missed by Kilkenny.

"A few days ago he was putting all his energies into trying to win an All-Ireland and now the chance has been taken away from him. Hurling is his life. He is not the player he is by chance. He works extremely hard at the game and he is a wonderful role model for any young player." Tweet

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