Kelly refreshed by new club schedule

 

By Liam Hogan

Ten years ago, Eoin Kelly led Tipperary to their 26th All-Ireland senior hurling title with the never to be forgotten victory over Kilkenny. 

Now at 38 years of age he continues to play a pivotal role in the fortunes of his club Mullinahone, and that’s with recovery time from a cruciate injury.

And yet he continues to enjoy his hurling as he prepares for another county final against Lorrha in the O Riain Cup this Saturday. 
Eoin feels he is in bonus territory in the twilight of his career and is benefitting from the inadvertent change in the schedule brought around by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The one thing (about this year) is constant games,” Kelly said. 

“They are coming thick and fast. Even when we were beaten by Newport in the group stage, we had no time to think about it. We were on again the week after and we got a rub of the green in the semi-final.”

He added: “I am enjoying it. This is for the club player, this campaign. They do their training and know when the games are coming.”
So would Eoin have likes to have the same schedule in his hay-day and does he feel a split season is the way to go into the future. 

“This year with the circumstances it has worked,” he said. 
“Yet, I would love the All-Ireland club championship. We played in the Munster club back in 2002 and I really enjoyed it. It’s a great championship. You would still want to keep that. They will have to sit down and discuss how they are going to fit everything in.”  

And while he sees the benefit of the split season, he sees the positives from mixing club and county seasons also.

“If a player played poorly with his county team and had to wait three or four weeks for his next county game, he would be glad of a club game. Sometimes you get rid of the cobwebs,” Kelly said.

“As a result, the inter-county player was looked after whereas the club player was not after a month’s training. But this year has been so enjoyable.  

“You would have to see the plan. Like when would the club fit in and where would the Allianz League fit in. I mean would they play two or three rounds of the league before Christmas. 

“Look its games. I see in Mullinahone this year where 32 players are training. The junior team is still involved. We have club training and fifteen v fifteen every evening which is the first time I have seen it in Mullinahone for a long while.”