No Cody on the sideline or Shefflin in Black and Amber against Galway on Sunday

By JIM CARNEY GALWAY vs Kilkenny at Semple Stadium, Thurles on Sunday will be unusual: Kilkenny are still without their spiritual leader and key forward Henry Shefflin, out injured, and their inspirational manager Brian Cody who is recovering from heart surgery. Regarded as two of the top three counties in hurling last year and this year â€â€ along with Tipperary â€â€ the reigning All-Ireland and League champions Kilkenny play 2012 Leinster champions and All-Ireland runners-up Galway in the second of next Sundayâ€â„¢s N.H.L. semi-finals at 3.45; referee Diarmuid Kirwan (Cork). In the first of the semi-finals at 2.00 oâ€â„¢clock, Dublin play Tipperary; referee Brian Gavin (Offaly). The League final will be played on Sunday, May 5. Brian Cody is taking a break from inter-county management after undergoing heart surgery, described as a planned cardiac procedure. He has been recovering in hospital and, in his absence, Kilkennyâ€â„¢s team management has been shared by selector Martin Fogarty and Mick Dempsey, selector and trainer. The news about Henry Shefflin is also worrying for the All-Ireland champions, by all accounts. Itâ€â„¢s reported that the great player who has not missed any of the 62 Championship matches in the reign of Brian Cody, since 1999, is not certain to be ready for the start of the Leinster Championship on June 9th against Offaly at Tullamore. Heâ€â„¢s had pins inserted in his left foot after breaking a bone and damaging ligaments in club action with Ballyhale Shamrocks in December, and he was on crutches up until last month. Officially, Kilkenny say they do not know when Henry Shefflin will return to training. Martin Fogarty says they â€Å“cannot put a date on it.â€Â[private] Galway are delighted to be still involved in the League, helping to make them match-sharp in the build-up to the Leinster Championship, in mid-June vs the winner of a series of games between Antrim, Laois and Westmeath on one side and, on the other side, Carlow and London. Itâ€â„¢s expected to be a Galway-Kilkenny Leinster final on July 7. Concluding their Division 1A campaign, Galway scored a 0-15 to 0-12 win away to Waterford, at Walsh Park â€â€ making a mighty jump from the bottom of the table with a bad points difference to shock their Déise hosts who were at the top of the table and looking good for a place in the semi-finals. An hour later, Galway were through to the semi-finals and Waterford were left to face a two-month layoff until their next competitive game, vs Davy Fitzgeraldâ€â„¢s Clare in the Munster Championship. The tight nature of the group ensured that every game was uncomfortably close to a â€Ëœmust winâ€â„¢ and while Galway got off a great start with a three-point win over Kilkenny at Pearse Stadium, 3-11 to 0-17, they lost their way for a while after the promise of first time out. Even when they got back into a winning groove, nobody was 100 per cent happy, for too much of the scoring burden fell on the shoulders of two men, Joe Canning and Davy Glennon. Hopes were high in recent weeks that another of the younger brigade, Niall Burke, would be the man to unsettle Kilkenny next Sunday but the tall, very skilful Oranmore-Maree clubman wonâ€â„¢t be available; heâ€â„¢s had to have an operation for a calf muscle injury. Niall Healy, back in the county team after a few yearsâ€â„¢ absence, will also miss this match; heâ€â„¢s also an injury victim. Galway selector Tom Helebert has been quoted as saying he believes Galwayâ€â„¢s League semi-final against Kilkenny will be â€Å“ideal preparationâ€Â for their defence of the Leinster title and the Bob Oâ€â„¢Keeffe Cup. Anthony Cunningham believes Kilkenny will try to win next Sunday for Brian Cody, adding in a recent daily newspaper interview: â€Å“From the Galway team and management we wish Brian a good recovery and good health. He is a fantastic ambassador for hurling and a man we look up to, even though we are rivals on the sideline and rivals on the pitch. â€Å“Kilkenny are so ultra-professional. They want to win every match; theyâ€â„¢ll be hard to beat and the fact that Brian Cody wonâ€â„¢t be there will make them even more determined.â€Â The Galway team who defeated Waterford last time out in the League was: Colm Callanan; Fergal Moore, captain, Kevin Hynes, Niall Donohue; Aidan Harte, David Collins, Johnny Coen; Iarla Tannian (0-2), Joseph Cooney; David Burke (0-1), Conor Cooney, Joe Canning (0-5, three frees); David Glennon (0-4), Cyril Donnellan (0-1), Niall Burke (0-2). Subs., Damien Hayes, for Niall Burke; Andy Smith, for Joseph Cooney; Jonathan Glynn, for Conor Cooney; James Regan, for Cyril Donnellan, Brian Flaherty, for David Burke.[/private]