Are Cody's Cats coming or going?

It can be easy to lose sight of the numbers, but those in Kilkenny could reel them off.

When Brian Cody took over the managerial hotseat, Kilkenny trailed Cork (27) at the top of the All-Ireland senior hurling championship roll of honour by two titles.

Now, with 36 under their belt, they are half a dozen clear of the Rebels.

Cody has won more Liam MacCarthys as manager than reigning champions Limerick have won in their history.

If you add in his three medals as a player, Cody’s haul of 14 is more than Wexford, Galway and Waterford combined.

His record could remain unbroken for some time, but as the gap from the last victory approaches seven years, the question for some is whether he is maximising the talent at his disposal.

A look at the starting XV from their last title in 2015 demonstrates just how many big hitters have departed the scene. By then, Tommy Walsh, JJ Delaney and Henry Shefflin were no longer in action, while Paul Murphy, Michael Fennelly, Eoin Larkin and Richie Power were crucial to the 1-22 to 1-18 win over Galway.

Twice since the Cats have been blitzed in deciders by Tipperary, yet for all the turnover in personnel, they have claimed the last two Leinster titles and were only edged out of a place in the All-Ireland final after extra-time against Cork.

The reliance on TJ Reid - pictured above - continues but he played no part in a league campaign that ended at the penultimate stage, again at the hands of the Rebels, with the other defeat coming against Tipperary.

Still, Mikey Butler has taken to inter-county hurling as smoothly as you like, Padraig Walsh has been something of a revelation at centre-forward and despite defeat to Cork last time out, the inside line of Billy Ryan, Martin Keoghan, and Alan Murphy