Bill Cody, a native of Thomastown, worked with Royal Liver Assurance and became involved with the James Stephens club in the early 1960s.

Cody later worked as a teacher at St Patrick's De La Salle national school in Kilkenny, before serving as principal between 2009 and 2015.

A hat-trick of goals by John McCormack, together with a ten-point haul from Billy Walton, saw James Stephens fight back from seven points down to record a 3–13 to 3–8 victory.

Kilkenny ‘keeper Kevin Fennelly brought off two brilliant saves from Con Brassil and Finbarr Delaney in the closing stages to secure a 5–13 to 2–19 victory and a second consecutive All-Ireland medal for Cody.

In spite of Kilkenny fielding a depleted team, the game hung in the balance for the first half, however, eight minutes after the restart Mossie Dowling got a vital goal for Limerick.

[10] The All-Ireland final defeat led to a reshuffle of the Kilkenny team and Cody found it hard to retain his place on the starting fifteen the following year.

Cork secured a first three-in-a-row of All-Ireland titles for the first time in over twenty years, as a Jimmy Barry-Murphy goal helped the team to a 1–15 to 2–8 victory.

The Cats were rank outsiders on the day, however, a brilliant save by Noel Skehan was followed by two quick goals by Christy Heffernan just before the interval.

Billy Fitzpatrick was the star with ten points, giving Kilkenny a 2–14 to 1–9 lead with seventeen minutes left, however, they failed to score for the remainder of the game.

James McGarry, at the age of 27, made his senior debut as goalkeeper while a young Henry Shefflin was unearthed and was a new addition in the forward line.

Kilkenny's provincial dominance continued in 2001 and a powerful 2–19 to 0–12 defeat of Wexford gave Cody a third successive Leinster title as manager.

[31] Carter remained on the panel as Cody guided Kilkenny to a second successive league title following a stunning 5–14 to 5-13 extra-time defeat of Tipperary.

[32] The ill-feeling between Carter and Cody resurfaced when the former was once again overlooked in a provincial championship defeat of Dublin, resulting in him leaving the panel for good along with Brian McEvoy.

[34] The subsequent All-Ireland final on 14 September 2003 saw Kilkenny face Cork for the first time in four years, however, on the day of the game the marital breakdown of Cody's replacement captain D. J. Carey was revealed in a national newspaper.

The game was expected to be a classic, however, a rain-soaked day made conditions difficult as Kilkenny aimed to secure a third successive championship.

On 3 September 2006 Kilkenny faced a Cork team who were presented with the opportunity to become the first side in nearly thirty years to secure three successive All-Ireland championships.

Cody guided Kilkenny to an eighth Leinster title under his stewardship in 2007, as the Cats asserted their provincial dominance and defeated Wexford by 2–24 to 1-12.

A 23-point winning margin, 3–24 from play, only two wides in the entire match and eight scorers in all with Eddie Brennan and Henry Shefflin leading the way in a 3–30 to 1–13 victory.

[52] On 6 September Kilkenny were poised to become the second team ever in the history of hurling to claim a fourth successive All-Ireland championship when they faced Tipperary in the decider.

For long periods Tipperary looked the likely winners, however, late goals from Henry Shefflin, after a penalty was awarded, and substitute Martin Comerford finally killed off their efforts to secure a 2–22 to 0–23 victory.

Cody was apparent in taking umbrage at Morrissey's line of questioning regarding the awarding of a controversial penalty which eventually turned the game in Kilkenny's favour.

The Cats lost talisman Henry Shefflin due to injury, while Tipperary's Lar Corbett ran riot and scored a hat-trick of goals as Cody's side fell to a 4–17 to 1–18 defeat.

[64] His side asserted their dominance once again as Kilkenny secured a sixth league title under Cody's stewardship following a 3–21 to 0–16 demolition of old rivals Cork.

Galway stunned the reigning champions with two first-half goals, however, Kilkenny's championship debutant Walter Walsh gave a man of the match performance, claiming a 1–3 haul.

Kilkenny's dominance showed no sign of abating in 2013, with Cody guiding the team to a seventh league title following a 2–17 to 0–20 defeat of Tipperary in the decider.

[73] Cody's side subsequently secured a thirteenth Leinster title, as a dominant Kilkenny display gave the Cats a 0–24 to 1–9 defeat of Dublin.

In the aftermath of the All-Ireland victory Cody blasted referee Barry Kelly's decision to award a late free in the drawn game describing it as "criminal" and "wrong".

[77] He subsequently avoided a suspension for these comments as the GAA's Central Hearings Committee decided to quash the charge brought against Cody.

[80] After narrowly avoiding relegation in the league, Cody guided Kilkenny to a fourteenth Leinster title during his managerial reign following a 1–25 to 2–15 defeat of Galway in the decider.

However, in the All Ireland Final against Tipperary Cody and his team's luck ran out as the Premier powered to a nine-point win to beat Kilkenny in the championship for the first time since they stopped the drive for five in 2010.