Pictured is former Waterford hurler and Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup finalist with WIT, Austin Gleeson as he looks ahead to the conclusion of the Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup.
This year, through its #FirstClassRivals campaign, Electric Ireland celebrated the unexpected alliances formed between county rivals as they come together in pursuit of some of the most coveted titles across Camogie and GAA.
By Cian O’Connell
“To be honest I had a ticket, and I'd say about an hour before the game it really hit home,” Austin Gleeson responds when asked did he attend Sunday’s Allianz Hurling League fixture at Walsh Park between Waterford and Clare.
“I ended up not going, I didn't even watch the first few minutes of the game,” Glesson adds. “It probably had more of an effect than I thought it was going to have on me, to be completely honest.
“I was talking to my father after the game, he said it probably made a bit of sense that I was like that. Once I settled down, checking the scores on Twitter, I said I should be watching it, and I ended up turning it on then.
“It was definitely hard to watch, the first proper game at Walsh Park with the new stadium and all of that stuff. It was tough at the start, but it got easier as the game went on.”
Adjusting to the break from Waterford duty will take a bit of time considering Gleeson had spent a decade on the inter-county beat. “I know the lads played Offaly the week before, but the first game in Walsh Park in the new year, it was the first time I was thinking I could still be involved,” he says.
“It got easier as the game went on watching the lads. I was probably more nervous last week watching the game not being involved than I have been over the last 10 years, playing. It definitely is a lot easier to play than watch - definitely.”
Gleeson is hopeful about returning to feature for Davy Fitzgerald’s outfit in the future. “It is probably known a bit that I wanted to do it last year, but I decided to come back after talking to Davy and a few of the lads on the team,” Gleeson explains.
Austin Gleeson is taking a break from inter-county action in 2024. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
“It was a complete get my head right kind of a thing, to take this break. I'm enjoying the break at the moment, it is strange to be honest because I came straight out of minor, training then in the November or December 11 years ago now.
“So, it has been a strange couple of months, changing jobs, being back with the club in the gym. Things aren't massively different, but I find myself having a bit more free time to do stuff that I maybe haven't been able to do.
“It is something I've always wanted, to go back next year. I'm just hoping to get that drive back, to be pushing to get back.”
Promising young players are beginning to make an impact for Waterford which bodes well according to Gleeson. “There is a good few lads after coming into the training panel, even the 15 the other day, a few of those have been on the panel for the last couple of years, but haven't got a massive amount of game time, but they showed up the other day,” Gleeson replies.
“They were very, very good which is a good thing for Waterford. You have a very young team there, you've names there, a lot of people probably haven't heard of, but have been doing it in the club scene here for years.
“So, it is an exciting time for those lads and an exciting time for Waterford because those lads have nothing to lose.
“They are there to put their hand up, it looks like they are doing it, especially some of the lads playing in the Fitzgibbon Cup. They have a couple of weeks of intense games under their belt and it is really starting to show.”
