Why fast Eddie is Cats’ pacemaker

ASK any defender — the nightmare forward is the one that takes you on — runs straight at you, runs over you, runs around you, but takes you on.

Rest assured that this week, as the days count down to Sunday’s All-Ireland final, none of the Cork backs rest easy at the thought of facing Kilkenny’s jet-heeled Eddie Brennan.

Fast Eddie from Graigue-Ballycallan has left many a despairing defender trailing in his slipstream as he powers down on the keeper, one thing on his mind. “In sprints, you wouldn’t really notice it (how fast he is),” says teammate Henry Shefflin. “But it’s when he has the ball you see it, he has those fast-twitch fibres.”

So exactly how fast is he, Henry? “Very pacy — only a small bit behind me!”

He’s coming up on 28, Eddie Brennan, but it’s only this year that you sense he’s finally established himself as one of the “go to” men in the Kilkenny team. Since joining the Kilkenny panel in 2000, he’s had many a big championship day in the black and amber, but you never got the sense he had the full confidence of manager Brian Cody. On and off the team from game to game, even as late as last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final win over Limerick he was only a sub, came on and hit three wides. He started against Galway next time out, top-scored from play in a losing cause with 2-3, but struggled again early on this year to make the starting 15. Now though, shifted from corner forward to the wing, he looks like a new man, has impressed in his last three games as a playmaker, as an all-round hurler as opposed to pure finisher.

“I don’t know,” he muses, “a change of scenery I suppose, a bit more freedom, but the most important thing is that you are more involved, under puckouts and so on, landing in your area. A lot of the hurling in Croke Park is done around the half-forward line, you can get stuck into it straight away. In the full-forward line you can get a bit isolated, away from the action, waiting for the ball to come into you, so you’re that little bit more nervous. In any match, even a challenge match, it’s nice to get a touch straight away, get into the game, get the nerves out of the way. There’s pressure everywhere, but any player will tell you, if you’re not involved in the match it’s harder to get involved as the match moves on.”

One other factor that has contributed to the turnaround in Eddie’s fortunes this year, a job transfer from Tallaght to Portlaoise, giving this easygoing Garda an easier commute to training. “When I was in Tallaght I was lucky, I was on the community police, wasn’t working nights, which was a big help. My sergeant and inspector up there, the other lads in the unit, were all very good to me, they helped me in whatever way they could. Six years driving from Dublin, though, takes its toll. I know what it’s like to live in the car — come off work, change clothes in the car, eat your food in the car; seemed like you were doing everything in the car, and then you’re tearing to get down to training on time. It’s great to be nearer to home, only 45 minutes up the road, and again I’m lucky, the lads in the unit are super, doing what they can.”

So Sunday? “It’s like anything else, I spent a good while this year sitting in the stand. The form wasn’t good, the performances weren’t good; you do need the kick up the behind every now and again. It’s not that you get cocky or anything, but things can go a bit stale. You go into training, there’s 30 lads in there, every one of them willing to rip you out of the jersey, take it off you. That’s only healthy for the team, that’s the way it has to be. It’s an All-Ireland final, this is what you want. I remember watching All-Ireland finals years ago bursting to some day get there myself. I suppose it’s a reward to be there, to be part of the occasion, I feel very lucky to be part of a few of them at this stage.”

A few? This is Eddie’s fifth All-Ireland final in seven seasons, a super record. Doesn’t get any easier, however, especially not when the challenge is to break down the vaunted Cork half-back line. “That half-back line is there since 2003, savage hurlers, a savage understanding, the three of them are just phenomenal. People gave out about Ronan Curran last year — he’s hurler-of-the-year this year so far. John Gardiner had a super year last year, so did Sean Óg; just as a unit they’re very solid, very hard to break down. I’ve yet to see anyone put them in bother for a full match. At times they are under pressure but they’ve such an understanding, so familiar with each others’ play at this stage, it makes them practically invincible.”

No defence is immune to pace, however; to a fast, skilful forward running at them. Eddie has it, modest Eddie. “I don’t know, I just read it as it is, a lot of the time you might have the advantage, the ability to take on a lad with the turn of pace, no back likes that. You play to your strength, and I suppose that’s the only strength I have, a bit of pace!”

Be aware, Cork. Be aware and be wary.