Paul McShane has been spreading the good word.
Former Republic of Ireland defender Paul McShane has given his Manchester United academy players an introduction to hurling.
McShane, who is a development coach for the Red Devils, was overseeing his team at the SuperCupNI when he decided to take the lads for a puck around,
The team were staying in Ballycastle for the duration of the Northern Irish academy tournament so McShane found a nearby pitch where he showed them the ropes.
With the magic of Clare and Tony Kelly still freshly on the mind, it was probably hard to resist the temptation.
“We went down to the local GAA pitch, I got the lads a few hurls,” McShane told Belfast Live.
“I just wanted to see if they could hit the ball!
“I think they enjoyed it, they were getting the hang of it near the end. It was something different for them and it was good to see them having a go at it.
“It’s a totally different sport to what the lads are used to. Hurling is full action and the excitement is probably at a different level to football.”
McShane enjoyed a very respectable career in his time, playing for Sunderland, Hull, Reading and the Republic of Ireland national team.
But although football is close to the Ireland under-21 assistant’s heart, he still acknowledged that hurling is probably a more exciting sport:
“Football can be a little slower at times whereas hurling can be a high scoring game. It’s tough as well, it certainly toughens you up,” added the Wicklow man.
“It’s a great game and I think the All-Ireland final was a great advert for it. I had people from the UK contacting me asking ‘What’s this I’m watching on my telly?’.
“It was a great game, I watched bits of it, but it was just the excitement of it all.
“The attitude of people playing the sport is refreshing and it’s totally different to what you’d normally get.
“Coming off the back of the Euros it was probably a bit slower and more tactical but a game like hurling is action-packed and full of excitement.
“It was great to have viewers across the UK gripped by that, it certainly was a great advert for the game and Ireland.”
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