KILKENNY MANAGER BRIAN Cody has paid tribute to former Ballyhale Shamrocks player Paul Shefflin who passed away on Friday.<\/p>\n
The younger brother of Henry Shefflin died while out running and news of his passing sent shockwaves through the local community. \u00a0<\/p>\n
A minute silence was held for the 40-year-old father of four before yesterday\u2019s Division 1B hurling tie between Kilkenny and Dublin in Parnell Park.<\/p>\n
The Cats prevailed by 2-23 to 0-16, and afterwards Cody said: \u201cIt\u2019s so sad for everybody concerned.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was a very good hurler, obviously a terrific club player and underage with Kilkenny as well and Fitzgibbon (Cup). It\u2019s just an absolute tragedy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Speaking to RT\u00c9 prior to the game, he said: \u201cIt\u2019s a really, really sad time for Ballyhale, Kilkenny and the whole hurling community everywhere.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Shefflin family are synonymous with the game, and Paul was a terrific hurler himself and obviously just a really popular figure.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shefflin won three All-Ireland club titles and six Kilkenny crowns with Ballyhale during his career.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen the news trickled through, you were just asking yourself, \u2018Why?\u2019 said Jackie Tyrrell.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll the things you alluded to \u2013 a great clubman, a family man. Possibly because of Henry\u2019s success, his achievements may have been overshadowed. But you look at his list there \u2013 three club All-Irelands, a real great clubman, a coach and a treasurer there.<\/p>\n
\u201cI played against Paul a few times. A tough cookie, but a gentleman off the hurling field. It\u2019s such a sad, sad day for a community like Ballyhale that have had a lot of tragedies, down through the years.\u201d<\/p>\n
Henry Shefflin was absent from the sideline yesterday for Galway\u2019s defeat to Cork as he comes to term with the tragic passing.<\/p>\n
\n Ballyhale\u2019s Paul Shefflin celebrates with the Leinster club title in 2014.<\/p>\n
Source: James Crombie\/INPHO<\/p>\n
Richie O\u2019Neill, who was previously involved with Paul as part of Henry\u2019s Ballyhale backroom team, assumed management duties for the day and he spoke afterwards about his shock at the sudden death.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was shocking to get the call yesterday, the tragedy that had come on Paul, Ballyhale and the Shefflin family,\u201d he told RT\u00c9.<\/p>\n
\u201cAn absolutely brilliant chap. I got involved with Ballyhale with Henry in 2018 and Paul was just a real rock-steady solid guy in the parish and in the club.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe carried the hurleys for us in the senior team. If you were looking for a dig out to make 15 v 15 in an internal game he\u2019d tog out and play and was as competitive as ever.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was a really good guy in the community. He has young kids now and was involved in training the underage in the club.<\/p>\n
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\n Galway selector Richie O\u2019Neill speaks to the media before the Cork game.<\/p>\n
Source: Laszlo Geczo\/INPHO<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of those guys you need around in every club and for something like that to happen is just unthinkable really, for his wife Aoife and his four kids it\u2019s unthinkable.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt makes you rethink things definitely. We all get caught running around, stressing about things that maybe aren\u2019t worth stressing about.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Ballyhale, when I was there for the two years there were other tragedies (as well). We used to say that life can be cruel but sport is our outlet.\u201d<\/p>\n