“It’s easy win All-Irelands when you’re sitting back waiting for grass to grow.” And so it goes on the terrace of Nowlan Park, where Kilkenny diehard Pat Dolan, a former O’Loughlin-Gaels goalkeeper, is under no illusions as to why his county are going through tough times.

“You can forget about missing Henry or Tommy - it’s all down to quotas. We haven’t won an All-Ireland since 2015, and you know what happened then, don’t you? Suddenly the young lads were free to start milking anything in sight.”

Dolan, whose father won an All-Ireland with Kilkenny, doesn’t hold back: “Double training sessions? It’s more like double milking sessions these days. As soon as 2016 dawned you could see the focus had changed. We won in 2015 but the hunger was gone. They’d gotten a taste for the milk cheque.”

One current player who spoke to the Irish Farmers Journal on condition of anonymity agrees with Dolan: “It wasn’t the same after the 2015 title. The lads lost their edge. You could see there was something else playing on their minds, that the focus had changed. You’re always trying to be better than the year before, but suddenly the lads were talking about improving their milk solids and grass growth figures.”

Dolan continues: “We lost to Tipp by nine points in 2016 and were knocked out of Leinster by Wexford in 2017. Wexford! Feckin Davy Fitz! It has to stop.”

Luckily for the Cats, Dolan has a solution: “Bring back quotas. If Glanbia really value the Avonmore sponsorship deal, they have to reintroduce quotas in the county – or at least pay a bonus to anyone who plays hurling. You don't see Joe Canning milking cows, do you?”

Dolan is convinced Brian Cody would be in favour of the move. “Sure Cody’s lactose intolerant. This must be killing him. It’s like the one thing he desires most has been destroyed by fellas chasing the one thing he can’t have.”

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