Up Close and Personal with...JJ Delaney

Ever wondered what your favourite GAA star listens to on their iPod? Ever wondered what the country’s top GAA players get up to in their spare time?

GAA.ie’s weekly feature allows you to get ‘Up Close and Personal’ with the stars of Gaelic Games.
Each week, we’ll talk to a top inter-county player and ask him the questions you’ve always wanted answered. And some you’d never have thought of asking!

This week gaa.ie gets 'Up Close and Personal' with Kilkenny’s six-time GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship winner and five-time GAA All Star JJ Delaney.

Factfile
Name: JJ Delaney
Age: 29
Height: 5’ 11”
Position: Wing-back
Inter-county debut: v Offaly, 2001
Occupation: Sales Representative for Tegral

What’s on your iPod?
I like to listen to Arctic Monkeys or Hard-Fi on match days.

What’s your party piece?
I don't have one that I could say…

If you could invite one person around for dinner who would it be?
Kelly Brook.

If you could change one thing about the game what would it be?
I would like to see rules changes coming in for hurling alone rather than hurling and football together.

What are your hobbies and interests outside hurling?
I used to play a bit of soccer and I like to play pool.

Who’s your sporting idol?
Roy Keane.

Do you have any unusual pre-match routines or superstitions?
Not really, but I do like to sit in the same place in the dressing room all the time.

What’s your earliest GAA memory?
The home-coming after winning the All-Ireland in 1993. I was in Kilkenny and the crowds that were there and the welcome home was unbelievable.

What’s your favourite venue?
Semple Stadium, Thurles.

Which county other than Kilkenny has the best supporters?
Wexford.

What’s the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
Take every game as it comes and don’t over-analyse anything.

If you could choose one inter-county player to play with your own team, who would it be?
Joe Canning (Galway)

Who is the most difficult opponent you have ever encountered?
Ken McGrath (Waterford). He was a real handful.

Who is the best player you have ever played with?
Tommy Walsh.

Who has been the biggest influence on your career?
My family.

Who is your most confident team-mate?
David Herity.

Who has the worst haircut on the Kilkenny panel?
Jackie Tyrrell used to have.

Who is the worst trainer in the panel?
Richie Power. Like Paul McGrath, he just plays the matches because he is injured so often.

Who is the biggest joker?
Tommy Walsh or Cha Fitzpatrick.

Who fancies themselves as a ladies man in the squad?
Has to be David Herity again.

JJ Delaney was speaking in an exclusive interview with gaa.ie. JJ will be in GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship semi-final action for Kilkenny against Waterford on Sunday afternoon (Throw-in 3.30pm).