History awaits for the top club sides from Kilkenny and Limerick
Who’s going to be shouting the loudest in the bowels of Croke Park this Tuesday? Who’s the stickiest marker at Ballyhale training? And who does Colin Fennelly look up to as a sporting idol?
We sat down with the multiple All-Ireland winner ahead of Tuesday’s AIB-GAA All-Ireland Club final against Kilmallock and pucked some hard-hitting questions his way as he faced the Hurl of Honesty.
Colin Fennelly
What’s the buzz in Ballyhale like ahead of Tuesday?
It’s great, you know. There’s been a break of five weeks and that has helped with the excitement from the semi until the final. The last two weeks you could really feel the excitement build. It’s five years since our last final and a lot of the players are much older and few of the younger guys have come in. I can barely remember the last final, I was maybe 19 at the time. Then you have guys like Joey Holden. He came on in that last game and now he’s our full-back.
The fact we haven’t been there since 2010 has focused everyone to think it could be our last time here, which has raised things to another level of intensity.
What was the Toughest performance this year?
County final. It’s very hard to get out of Kilkenny. Clara are an upcoming team with a number of younger players and that was a very, very tough day for us to try and get over the reigning champions in Nowlan Park. Winning by six or seven points was a massive thing for us and to keep that going all the way now to March 17th is going to be very, very tough.
What was the Toughest part of the journey to the All-Ireland final?
The Leinster final had to be one of the toughest days we’ve ever experienced in terms of having to really battle for a result. It was the December 7, right before Christmas and conditions were tough, absolutely freezing cold and you’re thinking ‘we need to get over this game and we need to win this game’. We came up against the Offaly champions who have bags of experience and the pressure was on us.
What was the the ambition at the start of the year?
We were just focused on the county final and to get out of Kilkenny. We all know each other. We have been playing together for so long now and we know who to mark, what to do and everything else, and how to react in a game depending on the situation.
Memorable moments in the campaign?
I know it’s becoming a cliche but when you see someone like Henry Shefflin involved with you day in, day out and the effort he puts in at his age. And it’s not just training but in a game the points and scores he gets are just unbelievable. You’re thinking ‘he’s still doing it, I have to keep on too’ and it’s just a fantastic inspiration with his work-rate and effort. You look up to him still.
Who’s the loudest in the dressing room?
Bob Aylward. When he speaks you listen and that’s great, and he isn’t shy of a word on the pitch either to tell you get your finger out pretty much too or put the boot in. When he speaks you know there’s something wrong and you have to have to do something better.
Who’s always moaning at training?
TJ Reid. He’s always complaining.
What’s more important – belief or pure ability?
Belief, because we have the ability since we were kids. You’re playing hurling the whole time and you need the belief that you can do it. If you put in the hard work, then it’s mentality when it comes to game day.
Who’s the toughest person to mark in training?
Joey Holden. He knows me inside out and he’s very hard to mark and he knows what move you’re making and he knows just everything. He’s probably the toughest guy in training for me anyway.
Sporting hero?
Brian O’Driscoll I suppose. He was there with the Ireland team for years and very much like Henry, they’re probably on the same par with effort and will to win.
AIB GAA Hurling All Ireland Senior Club Championship 14/15 Final
Ballyhale vs Kilmallock 2pm Croke Park
