Limerick play Kilkenny this Sunday at Croke Park in the first of this year’s All Ireland hurling semifinals and ahead of that key match our own Nathan Murphy travelled down to the Marble City for the Kilkenny press night last week.

While he was there, he met none other than Kilkenny’s defensive talisman and seven-time All Ireland winner JJ Delaney.

Listen to the full interview via the podcast player below

With the six-time All Star in his 30s, he admitted that he is taking plenty more care of his body in terms of how far you can push things physically.

"At 21, 22 or 23, you can get away with things that you wouldn't get away with now. You have to look after your diet and gym programme a lot more. You have to listen to your body," he admitted, also explaining how he maintains mental freshness and focus as the Championship season gets more hectic.

Kilkenny's JJ Delaney ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy

Delaney has been part of a golden generation of Cats who are now in their 30s but continue to lick the cream from the Liam McCarthy and Bob O'Keefe Cups and with the likes of long-time team-mate Tommy Walsh getting less game-time, Delaney appreciates every opportunity he gets to start in the Black and Amber.

"The day you take it for granted is the day you're not going to get [a starting place]. A player like Tommy on the line can come in at any time and he has come in this year and he's hurled fabulously for us as well and I can guarantee that before the year is out, he's going to have a big say in where we're going to finish up," said Delaney, who also discussed the injuries that affected Kilkenny in recent months.

But he also feels that the young players that have come through of late have "brought freshness to the squad" and that it "seeps through the whole squad".