Brian Cody and Henry Shefflin have recently been at the centre of a media storm after a number of high profile battles between Galway and Kilkenny in recent weeks.
The pair are embroiled in 'handshake-gate' after what appeared like a tense embrace after Galway's defeat of Kilkenny earlier in the Leinster Hurling Championship.
Neither manager added fuel to the fire in the aftermath and quashed rumours of tension between the pair.
Speaking after the game, Shefflin played down rumours of tension between the pair.
He said: “I didn’t notice any tension. I shook hands. For me, I suppose there’s a lot of different emotions. The handshake happened, I didn’t see anything in it."
While Cody added: “I have no idea what’s tense about anything to do with anybody else, because whenever we play a match as long as I’m involved with it, it’s got absolutely nothing to do with who’s in charge of any team
“It’s got everything to do with who is on the pitch. The Kilkenny players were out there representing Kilkenny today, and I’d be very happy with the way they represented Kilkenny.”
But there appeared to be no love lost as the pair faced off again in Saturday evening's Leinster final as the Cats won their third title on the trot.
Shefflin walked over to Cody after the final whistle to shake hands and left the encounter shaking his head.
But Cody would not get drawn into speculation of a soured relationship after the game.
Speaking to Off The Ball he said: "I don't consider myself the most important person out there by a long shot so I only talk about out team and the opposition players.
"Who is looking after either team, to me, is of no concern whatsoever. We'll talk about the players and the team and that's it."
The paired had shared history together as they helped each other become the most decorated player and manager duo in the history of the game.
Shefflin would go on to win 10 All-Ireland Hurling titles as well as 13 Leinster Senior Hurling titles in his playing career and was named as a three time Player of the Year as well as an 11 time All-Star and did all of this while Brian Cody was manager.
And back in 2015, Shefflin spoke glowingly of his old boss.
Speaking of Cody, he said: “Our relationship is very strong because I suppose we started together.
“We were there from the get-go so we had a little bit of a different relationship to maybe some of the other players. In that sense, it was a very, very strong relationship that’s stood the test of time.
"Obviously the last year was a bit different and the dynamic has changed. But overall, I just couldn’t say any more about the man.”
“We have a very strong relationship. I have no doubt we’ll be friends for years to come because of that link between the two of us starting out but as well as that a lot of people saw the characteristics he had in me on the field."
Kilkenny retired from hurling back in 2015 and would go on to manage Ballyhale Shamrocks to back to back All-Ireland Hurling titles and managed Intermediate side Thomastown before taking over at Galway boss.
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