Kennedy using teammates experience to drive recovery
Watching on from the stands will be made doubly difficult for Tipperary’s Seamus Kennedy as this Sunday’s Munster Senior Hurling Championship opener will be against the opposition where his season was brought to an abrupt end.
By Shane Brophy
The experienced defenders’ 2024 campaign was cut short last month when he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament playing against Limerick in the Allianz League at SuperValu Pairc Ui Chaoimh.
Speaking on the BBC’s The GAA Social podcast, the St Mary’s clubman spoke honestly of his determination to bounce back, citing inspiration from former Tipperary colleagues.
“I just have to look at Brendan Maher,” he said.
“He (tore) his cruciate against Clare in the championship in 2018 and the following year he was incredible for us, he won an All-Star and his club got to an All-Ireland club final.
"A good few of the lads with Tipp who have done the cruciate asked me if I heard the pop – I hadn't. I was in such a blur, maybe I was oblivious to it.
“Barry Heffernan and Craig Morgan are back playing well with Tipp at the minute, ‘Bonner’ Maher is still going with Tipp so there’s loads of people.
“I’ve loads of support, in fairness, and I suppose that’s one thing I’ve seen in the last couple of weeks. I’ve been blown away by the support, to be honest, and how good people actually are.”
As soon as he went to the Sports Injury Clinic in Santry on the Tuesday evening after sustaining the injury, he received the worst diagnosis.
“I was told fairly quickly that surgery was required. So, a tough journey home from Santry alright,” he revealed.
"The Sunday, Monday, Tuesday were the toughest because one minute you could be thinking, 'God, hopefully I'll just look like an eejit coming off the field and that I’ll be grand in a few weeks.’ But then obviously you’re saying, ‘God, worst case scenario this is my 2024 probably done’ – and everything in between.
"I was probably very hard to be around, and people close to me were on eggshells. People were asking you how you are … I didn’t know and I found that hard.”
Kennedy is still a strong presence within the group and still meets up with the panel on Monday evenings for the gym session as he builds himself up for the knee operation, and remains positive in his outlook on Tipp’s chances this year.
“You have to believe,” he said of their chances of winning an All-Ireland title.
“Maybe, it is going back to the tradition we have behind us in Tipp and the success we have had over the years that we will always believe that we don’t fear anyone any day going out playing a hurling match.
“I know the lads were disappointed after the Clare game in the league semi-final, but I have great confidence in the lads that they’ll regroup and be ready for the Munster Championship.”