DJ brushes aside ‘big intrusion’ into his life

DJ CAREY yesterday thanked those who supported him last week as a number of tabloid newspapers attempted to expose his marital problems Kilkenny’s All-Ireland-winning captain described the situation prior to last Sunday as a “big intrusion” into his life, yet he brushed it aside saying that “these things happen.”

Carey said that he generally enjoyed excellent relations with the media. He revealed that the majority of the mainstream hurling and sports media backed him fully last week when various tabloids were trying to expose marital problems

“I was getting text messages from those guys apologising for the fact that journalism seemed to have hit a new low,” Carey told RTÉ radio last night. “I cannot answer for those people, if that is what they consider to be journalism. All I can say is maybe they should get a new job.”

He again expressed regret over the departure of club colleague Charlie Carter from the county side earlier this year, which led to Carey’s elevation to captaincy. “I was sorry Charlie fell out, but I was representing the club and the responsibility fell to me. That’s the only way I look at it,” he commented.

Meanwhile, it was a weekend of mixed emotion for wing-forward Tommy Walsh.

His superb three points from play in the first 15 minutes set Kilkenny on the road to what would eventually be a three-point win, but when that final whistle sounded, the Tullaroan youngster was no longer on the field of play after being called ashore midway through the second half.

“It’s not easy coming off in big games like that.” Having been an injury doubt coming into the game, an inquiry as to whether he had suffered a relapse was laughed off. “No, I was perfect, but sure, tell everyone I got a knock.” What was really impressive, however, was the manner in which the decision was accepted.

No question, even in one so young, of blame, of recrimination, of sulk.

“Oh God, I wouldn’t. Brian Cody is the man, isn’t he? If he thinks you’re not going well and takes you off, it’s for the good of the team.When he took me off I was fierce disappointed, but Brian Cody is the man, he makes the decisions, and he never makes the wrong ones.”

Tommy Walsh wasn’t the only senior debutant last Sunday.

Over the course of the year, James Ryall, Seán Dowling and Paddy Mullally had also impressed Cody and his fellow-selectors and all earned the right to start that All-Ireland final. On the flip-side of course, an inevitable consequence, that meant a number of disappointed individuals left on the bench.

On the evidence of Kilkenny’s win over Galway in the minor final, it could be that Cody and company will have a number of equally tough decisions to make next year, and none will be pressing harder than captain and star forward Richie Power. Like the aforementioned Walsh, he might have to wait a year or two, however, a point he accepts.

“Looking at that senior team, no one will get their place for some time to come, will they,” he asks. That minor win was a last-gasp affair, injury-time pressure point from play by Power. Having suffered a similar fate last year, though, on a different stage, he understood Galway’s pain.

“I really did. To lose an All-Ireland is one thing, to lose by a point is heartbreaking. We lost the intermediate county final last year by a point, and I know it’s not an All-Ireland final but it’s your club, and to lose a county like that is heartbreaking, every bit as cruel.”

One man in no danger of losing his position is full-back Noel Hickey. After a man-of-the-match display, the proudest woman in Ireland afterwards was surely his mother Ann.

“I have six boys, all hurling, and it’s funny, I don’t ever worry about them getting an injury, but I do worry about them maybe not playing well, especially when they’re playing in front of the world. One slip-up at all, and that’s what you’re remembered for. I feel fierce pressure on myself; you’re driving up to Croke Park, see all the cars, thousands travelling up, and they’re banking on fifteen lads out there.

“I heard Cork people yesterday after the game giving out about this fella, that fella, you’d hate to hear that about your own lads.”

That pressure isn’t yet quite over for Ann.

“No, I have Canice next Sunday now, the U21 All-Ireland. Jim won a minor in ’91, Tom won in ’93, but three years Canice was on the minors, three years now on U21, and he never won an All-Ireland yet. Fingers crossed.”