CHANCE A FINE THING FOR RICE.

Byline: PAT NOLAN 

MICHAEL RICE admits that injury and illness to other key players played a part as he finally nailed down a place on the Kilkenny team this year. The 25-year-old had been warming the bench in his previous three years on the panel as James 'Cha' Fitzpatrick and Derek Lyng formed a cohesive midfield partnership. But with Lyng struggling with injury and Cha struck down by mumps early in the year, Rice claimed his spot and his form dictated that he wouldn't lose it.

"Maybe if they were fully fit it could have been a different story but you just have to take your chance when it comes," said Rice, left.

"Michael Fennelly is there as well and there are other lads that aren't out in the open as much name-wise but on any given day they could come up and play very well and they'd be in the frame as well."

With Kilkenny completing a historic four-in-a-row and Rice earning a first All-Star to boot, 2009 will always be a memorable year for him.

"I did enjoy it yeah, because all you want to be doing is playing.

"You do your best in training and you're hoping to make it and you make it but there's serious competition there so if someone else is playing in front of you, you can't argue either."