Carey bounces back in record time

TWELVE months ago, he made a fairytale return to top-flight hurling after virtually writing off the season because a combination of injury and illness. Again, DJ Carey, one of hurling's best known and most charismatic performers, has had to endure some punishment in his bid to prove his fitness for next Sunday's All-Ireland semi-final against Tipperary. By availing of the best treatment available he has been winning.

"Fitness wise, or injury-wise, I'm not worried," Carey said yesterday.

Three weeks ago he tore his hamstring in a county league semi-final with his club. Remarkably, he was back training within 10 days, after having several sessions of oxygen treatment. "It's supposed to help you heal 70% faster," he explained. "If you are a soccer player and you tear your hamstring, you are out for six weeks. I feel it certainly did some good for me."

The week before last he felt a tightness at the end of his second session but suffered no reaction and was fit for extra training at the end of the week. Training has gone smoothly since.

While he has made a recovery, he is all the more conscious of the position Tipp's Thomas Dunne finds himself in since injuring his ankle against Offaly. He's even more sympathetic towards Philip Maher, who has taken no part in the championship, and won't.

"If we were losing a player of the calibre of Philip Maher we would not be able to replace him. He's a fantastic full-back, with brilliant presence. However, I expect Tommy Dunne to play. From a Kilkenny point of view I hope he won't, but from a hurling point of view I hope he does Tommy and Philip Maher are always a treat to watch. Of course, injuries are always a difficulty, but sometimes having one before a game can be okay too.

"Often times a player can get too caught up in a match and then it passes him by. If have an injury coming up to a game, it frees the mind up. You go into the game maybe slightly worried, but you'll find it easier to get into it and it will come nicely for you."

Whatever about coping with the extreme heat, Carey admits to having a definite problem in trying to come to terms with the new sliothar being used in the big games.

"It will do you the world of good in terms of pride because you'll hit the ball 110 yards. I might even be going back to our 21-yard line to hit frees from now on," he joked. "It is very difficult to judge. You'll hit it long ways, but you just don't know if it's going to curl, stay straight or what it's going to do. It can also be a bother for goalkeepers because it can be so difficult to judge the hop of the ball.

"In training one night, (full-back) Noel Hickey left a ball go in to James McGarry, it hit the ground and bounced well over the bar. I don't know what the thinking behind it's introduction is. I wonder is it a ball for Croke Park or for everyone. All it will do is make the strong teams stronger. We're even finding it difficult with our first touch. You think of the skill level we have and imagine how difficult it will be to go into a weaker county and promote skills."

While there would be fairly general agreement the provincial champions suffer from long lay-offs, Carey's preference is for a small number of games. "I'd rather have a six-week break, play less matches and go straight into an All-Ireland semi-final, as we have done. You can go out and motivate yourselves three or four times a year. But having to do it seven or eight times in the year is very difficult.

"You're saying the same thing over and over again, trying to psyche yourself up. I would find that hard. You get yourself right for a first round, for the Leinster final and All-Ireland semi-final. If you have to play two or three matches in between it's draining.

"The Cork situation was slightly different. I think they found it difficult to get teams together for collective training. We had three weeks off after the Leinster final for club matches. We came back and went straight into it for three weeks. The way we train, we prepare as if we're going to be in a match, so you could say we've had three weeks of championship games."

Facing Tipp doesn't surprise Carey who felt earlier this year they were good enough to win the All-Ireland.

"I had no doubt they would come back because you don't become a bad team overnight. They are an excellent side, but every team needs a kick up the backside and they certainly got it in the first round. Clare played really well that day. But I suppose Tipp were on a hiding to nothing. They played in a marvellous League final and were very unlucky to lose it. Then they had two weeks to prepare. Clare didn't do much in the League so they had just one match to focus on.

"That's one of the beauties of the championship now, where you have a second chance to prove yourself. If you lose twice, then you're not good enough to win the All-Ireland."

Carey agrees the possibility of back to back All-Ireland titles is a massive incentive; personally, too, given he was a member of the last team to do it in 1992 and 93.

"I think in all honesty we have a very good team. That doesn't guarantee anything but it's a big motivation. From my own point of view, there may not be too many more opportunities. We're looking at the possibility of two-in-a-row, that we've broken a little hoodoo on Tipp by beating them a couple of times in the last few years. And we want to keep that going."