David Kenny
By John Harrington
David Kenny will make it a unique hat-trick of All-Ireland titles in 2016 if he can help Mayo defeat Meath in Saturday’s All-Ireland U-21 Hurling ‘B’ Final.
He has already won an All-Ireland medal with the U-21 footballers as well as a Nicky Rackard Cup medal with the county senior hurlers, and admits it would be a dream to finish the year with another high.
“Realistically going into the year I didn't think this could happen,” says Kenny. “There was always the potential of winning 3 All-Ireland's but winning the 3 of them would be great. I'll sit back in a few years time, look back on it and maybe realise what I have achieved.”
Kenny plays for Tooreen hurling club and Aghamore football club which are both in the same parish. Hurling might be the minority sport in the county as a whole, but he believes there is great scope for self-improvement.
“There is huge potential there. We're trying to build at the minute. We have two minor All-Irelands there , last year and the year before. This U21 All-Ireland we're in and we've the Nicky Rackard.
“We're back up in Christy Ring now where we we probably should be. Hopefully can get to a final now or semi-final. I'd love to play in a Christy Ring final now.
“We've won the Nicky Rackard but after seeing the boys run out afterwards for the Christy Ring, it kind of hit home, that's where we want to be, it's probably the best Mayo could get. Be great to see us make a dent in that.”
Keith Higgins has managed to combine playing both hurling and football for Mayo and Kenny would love to do the same in the coming years, though he accepts it would be a difficult task.
“I don't know, I'd love to play football, I'd love to keep the two going,” he says. “Realistically it's not always possible. I'd love to get into that football team but it's very hard to. I was in there for the FBD, getting a few games.
“Since the U21's we've had five involved. The main two Stephen Coen and Diarmuid O'Connor, three other then Conor Loftus, Eoin O'Donoghue and Brian Reape. Tough team to get into.”
