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“”Growing up I would have gone to hurling matches in Semple Stadium. To be playing there this weekend is such a privilege and any time you get the opportunity you are glad to take it.
“”As a forward, you love the wide open space and the surface is brilliant. Everything about Semple is great. The minute you step inside the gates you tune it immediately. You know you are in a big match situation. Since it has been renovated it is magnificent. The dressing-rooms are so big and we have loads of space to tog out.
“”Inter-county hurlers might take these for granted but we are delighted to have such facilities available to us. It is also good for the supporters. It is great for camogie. We already played Kilkenny in the league this year in Semple Stadium and it was a very high scoring match.””
However, Kinnane expects a changed Black and Amber outfit this weekend.
“”They will be totally different to the team we played a couple of months back. In fact we played them twice – we drew with them, and beat them in Thurles. I’d expect this championship game to be of much higher intensity and there will probably only be a point or two between us.
“”We are going well since our defeat to Wexford in the league final. We took some positives from the loss and realised we had to work harder off the ball, we had to get stronger and to become more physical. We’ve tried to perfect our puck outs, so all in all, we learned a lot about ourselves.””
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