And many footballers will feel the same way about hurling.
The best GAA players have ‘it’. Whatever ‘it’ is – the instinct, the skill, the mentality, the class – they’re able to turn their hands to the other code just as easily.
Give hurlers a shot at gaelic football and they’ll take to it without breaking stride, and many footballers vice versa.
Jamie Barron is one of the best hurlers in Ireland. Many felt he was hard done by not to win the 2017 Hurler of the Year award. Barron is also a top class footballer.
The 23-year-old is a hurler first and foremost. He dedicates much of his life to hurling with Waterford.
When the hurling is finished for they year, though, and with club football kicking into swing, Barron is in his element.
The days of the inter-county dual player are over. In Waterford, it’s all about hurling. Football is the poor relation – that’s why the Waterford football championship final is only taking place this Sunday, a week after the Munster final.
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He still loves his football. He loves coming back to play with The Nire, who he made it to last year’s Munster senior club football final with.
And most hurlers will agree. Hurling is the number one. There are lots of expectations on you in every game, especially for an inter-county star like Barron, whether he’s playing with Fourmilewater or with Waterford.
In the football, there’s less pressure – mainly coming from within. There’s freedom. Players can float around, they can revel on that competitive buzz, but it’s not taken as seriously as the hurling – and that’s a welcome change for men like Jamie Barron.
“No, I actually really enjoy coming back to play football when the time comes,” he said to GAA Hour host Colm Parkinson.
“There’s no pressure on you at all, you can just run around – It’s like a new hobby for the winter. It keeps your fitness levels up as well. It’s actually great, coming back to the boys who are obviously very good footballers,” added the midfield maestro.
The Nire are one of the most successful clubs in Waterford. Barron and his Waterford hurling teammate Conor Gleeson enjoy coming back to play with them in the club competitions.
“It’s great to be able to play the two sports, I think most clubs, they struggle to mix the both of them, but we’re able to do it,” he added.
There’s less pressure. It’s a team effort. Barron loves it.
“Yeah, absolutely, you can just slot in. Everyone in the football team, there’s no standout players. It’s nice to be able to come back and have a relaxed environment – well, we obviously take it very seriously as well, but we’re able to enjoy it,” added Barron.
Football is a enjoyable game to play, anyway. The All-Star hurling midfielder has a slightly different style of play when it comes to the big ball.
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“I’m just out there running around following the ball,” he laughs.
“I’m a wing back, attacking more than defending really. Football, played at this time of the year, it’s a totally different game to when it’s played in the summer months. It’s a bit of a slog, all about holding onto possession and things like that.
“It’s hard to describe what I’m like (as a footballer.)”
We can just imagine him buzzing around the middle third. A willing runner, a skillful operator.
“I suppose I do be dropping deep more so. When you’re a wing forward in football, you’re nearly dropping deep more so than you’re attacking, so it’s much of a much, really,” he added.
Barron’s club, The Nire, will aim to defend their county title when they take on Michael ‘Brick’ Walsh’s club, Stradbally on Sunday.
The Nire will be without Barron because of an injury sustained in the earlier rounds after a hectic schedule of games.
You can listen to the Barron interview here from 54″00′.
