Cody - counter-revolutionary who built an empire

When Brian Cody was appointed Kilkenny hurling manager in the winter of 1998, the county hadn't won an All-Ireland title for five years and, perhaps more significantly, had only won two in the previous 15 campaigns.

The hurling revolution was still raging outside and the ancient regime was struggling to cope. Liam MacCarthy was still "wandering around", as Willie O'Connor would later put it.

The new boss, who'd hardly set the world alight in his club management career, gave little indication of what was to come in one of his early introductory interviews with the Irish Examiner's Diarmuid O'Flynn.

"Kilkenny has been reared on hurling success - too much maybe - and expectations are always high," Cody said.

"Lately, the game has become a lot more open, with a lot of new teams coming through," he added, before listing the expanding number of counties now capable of winning the big one.

"However, the (Kilkenny) fans don't seem to have adjusted to the new reality yet, so expectations are still high."

Over the next two decades, Kilkenny supporters would have to adjust to a new reality, albeit not the one Cody was hinting at.

The Kilkenny statement disclosing Cody's retirement - after a week of rumours - this afternoon, once again referred to the "unbreakable spirit" he fostered.

That unbreakable spirit was evident right to the end, even as Cody's latest Kilkenny side, unfancied at the beginning of the year, were edged out in the All-Ireland final by a historically great Limerick team.

In the aftermath, Cody appeared more philosophical than usual after a major defeat - perhaps a clue, in retrospect - saying afterwards that "every Kilkenny person should be very, very proud of how the team performed."

While the last valedictory All-Ireland