Consistency is the north star that Cian Kenny likes to follow and in the past few seasons he has remained firmly fixed on it.
Last season, the James Stephens man was at the helm in the Kilkenny engine room, winning so many battles at midfield.
Aside from hitting every ruck in sight, sweeping freely for breaking ball and launching counter attacks from deep, he managed two points from play in four of his five games, leaving him with a championship tally of 0-11 and an All-Star nomination.
The year before he was deemed unlucky by many not to make the 2024 All-Star side. He was the most consistent player for his county with his work-rate, proficiency and vision to link defence and attack. From the middle third he was the third-highest scorer from play in that championship for his team.
It was in the role as a defensive midfielder, helping out his defence and providing security that he excelled. He prospered further with the placing of Jordan Molloy beside him after plenty of midfield pairings were trialled – with the likes of Paddy Deegan, Richie Reid, Molloy, Shane Murphy, Mikey Carey and Kevin Blanchfield all getting runs there.
Last Sunday, Kenny had number 12 on his back as he stood over a vital 75th-minute point to beat Waterford and notch a second win from three outings for his side.
That last free saw Kenny shut down the outside world and zone in on the task at hand.
“It was routine, 100%,” he says. “Before I put the ball down I looked at the clock and it said 75 minutes were gone so I knew how important it was. My heart was racing but you try as much as possible to get yourself to calm down.
“Over the last few years at training we would have free-taking competitions and I suppose I tried to go back to the routine I had there and from what I learned all the way up.
“You just focus on rising the ball properly and getting a good connection. If you don’t get those two right it doesn’t matter what you do from there.”
Cian Kenny at an Allianz Hurling League media event in Thurles ahead of Sunday’s clash at home to Cork
The win was secured and another big headline moment for Kenny; a guy who prefers to quietly go about his business. He says that the fact they were at home meant even more to the team.
“We have two Leinster championship games at home and they are huge fixtures,” he said at an Allianz League event on Monday
“You want to win games at home to get supporters behind you. Waterford to me are an unbelievable side and in my book every team is on a par right now – it depends on who brings the performance on the day.
“But you must do all you can to win at home. We were two points down with 68 minutes gone so to win with a bit of character was even better.”
In the last few seasons Kilkenny have come close to winning the big prize.
Despite losing a raft of serial All Ireland winners over the past decade they have been unlucky in their quest to get Liam MacCarthy Cup back Noreside losing two All-Ireland finals and an All-Ireland semi-final in the past three seasons – pushing the opposition all the way in those three games.
“The lads who left were unreal players and they left holes,” Kenny says, “but the boys who are still here stepped up massively to fill those holes.
“Guys will play wherever they are asked to help the team. Look at the job Mikey Carey is doing at full-back – people see Mikey hurling for 70 minutes at the weekend, but we see him in the gym and on the training field and we see the impact he has.
“TJ, Eoin Cody, Adrian Mullen – all these lads have won on the big day and while we have fallen short in the last two to three years, we have to use that hurt. New lads have stepped up and we are all looking to stay going.”
Kenny is asked about their preparations for the championship, but first he points out that he would love a league medal.
“I haven’t won a league title and I would love to,” he says. “So that’s the focus.”
Talented players Huw Lawlor (above) and Billy Ryan are away on their travels this year, albeit, when asked about a possible return for the duo, manager Derek Lyng last month said that one never knew what was down the line, before adding that they were planning without them at the moment.
Kenny says he hasn’t heard anything in that regard.
“Full concentration on the lads who are there in the dressing room now,” he says.
“We are concentrating on what lies ahead and looking for consistency, which is the hardest thing to achieve in sport, in my opinion.”
Not easy for sure. But he’s certainly not doing a bad job on that front.
Watch Kildare v Meath in the Allianz Football League on Saturday from 6.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on the RTÉ News App and on rte.ie/sport. Listen to Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
Watch Allianz League Sunday from 9.35pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on all matches on the RTÉ News App and on rte.ie/sport. Listen to Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1