Glynn: Ireland’s physical presence superior
The Wicklow footballer, who again showed his acumen in the hybrid game last Friday, is one of the smallest players in Anthony Tohill’s panel. However, he insists Ireland have a superior physical presence and are prepared for all eventualities in the Metricon Stadium.
“If you look at the game gone by, we were probably more physical than they were,” recalled Glynn. “If you lined the teams out on the field we’re probably as big if not bigger than them. Ten weeks ago, we started to put the work in with (Mike) McGurn and (Kieran) McGeeney so we’re prepared for it — taking hits and not reacting and giving hits and not reacting.”
Glynn is keeping his fingers crossed the poor attendance at last Friday’s first Test is not an indication that the rules is in jeopardy. However he believes more has to be done to profile the series in Australia.
“A lot changes in a year. We had 60,000-odd in Croke Park last year and then just 20-odd thousand out here but from a personal point of view it’s a fantastic experience.
“That’s not just because I’m from a so-called weaker county, it’s the same for all players. You look at All-Ireland winners like (Kieran) Donaghy and all these boys like Stevie McDonnell... they put so much into it as well.
“It’s our only chance to represent our country in what’s similar to our sport and it’s probably closest to winning an All-Ireland or maybe even an All Star. I’d like to see it continued, maybe keep tweaking it to make it better and hopefully try and promote it a bit better for the crowds in Australia.”
Last week was tinged with sadness for Glynn as he learned of the tragic death of his former Wicklow team-mate Ciaran Jones in the freak floods back home.
Glynn remembers him as a classy player. “He was a real easy-on-the-eye footballer, one of those guys who you’d give them the ball and they’d put it over the bar making it look easy. It’s tragic and I find it hard to speak about it. Football just go out the window and you just think of the family and his girlfriend and hoping they’re going to be okay.”
Glynn discovered the news when he followed up on something his vice-captain told him.
“Ciarán McKeever had told me a member of the Gardaí in Wicklow had died in the floods. I was thinking ‘was it someone I knew’ and then I went on the internet and I just couldn’t believe it. He was a Wicklow footballer and a good one at that. But he was also a son, a brother and a boyfriend which are so much more important.”
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