Keith Carmody
By John Harrington
Ireland U-21 hurling captain, Keith Carmody, is expecting a ‘hell for leather’ contest against Scotland in tomorrow’s Hurling-Shinty international in Inverness.
The Kerry-man played in last year’s clash between the two countries, so is well aware of how much of a physical challenge the Scots like to bring.
“If you are not in for the rough and tumble stuff you might as well stay at home for this. If you are five yards behind your man you'll get a serious belt. You have to be side by side and be prepared to take belts. Don't forget your shin-guards!
“Some of them don't wear helmets at all, they are going in for a battle.
“You are representing your club, your county, and your country. We play a training match against the seniors on the Friday and we go hell for leather in it.
“You don't be worried about getting injured or anything, just hell for leather. The Saturday is obviously going to be 10 times worse than it. Yeah, it is hell for leather stuff.”
Under the compromise rules of the contest, the Irish players cannot handle the ball, and instead must pull on it or rise it and the strike it first time. Carmody admits that takes a bit of getting used to.
“Yeah, you can't use your hand or kick it. Kicking is actually the hardest part because if somebody falls and somebody is beside you, you're naturally just going to try to drive it forward.
“Last year I got the hang of it, the two trainings we did this year, Conor (Phelan) and Willie (Maher) are doing a great job picking the team.”
Ireland v Scotland - Shinty International Second Test
It’s a testament to Kerry hurling’s rising stock that they’ll have more representatives than any other county between the U-21 and senior panels that will travel to Scotland.
“That is it, I think there are seven altogether, four senior and three under 21,” says Carmody. “I suppose we are in Division 1B now and we are making great strides in the last few years. We are all determined to go even further and further.
“Ciaran Carey is in now and he is doing a great job, we are training hard and we will be back in the gym in two weeks time.
“Our motto is just work hard, every man try to beat his own man if he can. We will be training three or four times a week shortly now, everyone has bought into it.
“A few years ago it was all over the shop. Since I came in, the likes of John Griffin, he has been there 12 or 13 years, he says he would love to have another 12 or 13 years playing because this is when it is all clicking together.”
Opposition teams will be more aware of Kerry’s quality now and will plan accordingly, but Carmody believes they can be even better next year because the age-profile of the team is so young.
“That is the tunnel we are looking down,” he says. “We keep saying, everyone is young. Two or three aren't sure what they are doing this year, retiring or not, but we are very young.
“We have young fellas coming through from minor, who won five in a row this year. There is serious talent coming through.”
