Colin Fennelly believes that Ger Loughnane's criticism of the Kilkenny side was "weird", after the pundit claimed the team were merely "functional".
In an interview with the GAA’s official website last week, Loughnane discussed his time in charge of the Clare hurling panel and gave his thoughts on the current All-Ireland champions.
"Looking at Kilkenny now and their personnel, there is no way that Kilkenny should be winning the All-Ireland" Loughnane told interviewer John Harrington.
"There is no way this Kilkenny team should be going for three-in-a-row. Three-in-a-rows were so hard to get before Brian Cody came along.
"And teams that won three-in-a-rows were legendary teams. Now the present Kilkenny team is functional beyond belief, and they're getting the best out of what they have to an extent that no-one else could do other than Brian Cody."
Speaking at the launch of the Etihad Airways GAA World Games, Fennelly questioned the validity of these views.
“I thought it was weird what he said. What was it, that we shouldn't have won the last two All-Irelands?
“It’s weird because in 2014, there’s four competitions there to be won and we won all four of them. It’s very unusual for a team to do that.
“It’s not pure luck that you win all those competitions or all those games. I don’t know, is Ger out of the game so long, that he doesn't realise all the hard work that you put into winning?
“Last year, as well, you had a club team winning an All-Ireland and the county team winning.
“That’s unusual again and just shows the strength in depth in the county to do what we've done and do it both years.
“We didn't have Richie or TJ playing the other day and it makes no difference whatsoever" he said referring to Kilkenny's victory over Offaly where they register 6-20 over the course of the game.
“Kevin Kelly came in, took every free and slotted every free over the bar. On a wet day, it’s very hard, that was his first game in a while, (he) put every ball over the bar so things do not change.
“It just goes to show that what he said means absolutely nothing. It doesn't faze us as at all. TJ is a sharp shooter, there’s no doubt about that and other lads are work horses.
“Conor Fogarty, probably one of the most underrated players. He’s no doubt one of our best players, the work he goes through in a match, nobody really sees it.
“The same with Eoin Larkin (and) Wally Walsh. The work that these lads do is absolutely outrageous.”
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