Workrate and skill the keys to Kearney’s development
If there’s any one statement that sums up Cork midfielder Daniel Kearney it is the above quote — his own. He stands just 5’9” and weighs in at 11st 7lbs, small by modern standards in the inter-county hurling arena.
As an admirer of Kilkenny’s Tommy Walsh, however, Daniel is determined to make sure size does not hinder his own development.
“The club gym [Sarsfields] was opened in 2008 and I’ve spent two or three nights a week there every week since.
“It’s a brilliant facility. It has really brought on the younger guys in the club. When we won our first senior county a lot of us were only 17 [2008] but we’ve been going to the gym since. I do both leg and upper body-work. Dave [Matthews, Cork physical trainer] changes the programme every few weeks for variety but you’re working on the entire body.
“You need the power and speed in the legs, then you have to strengthen the upper body to take the tackles, work on the core. Hurling involves being explosive on the ball, being strong off it.”
There are still those who scoff at the thought of hurlers doing gym-work, but they’d be wrong to, according to Daniel.
“Apart from the physical benefits it also gives you a mental edge. You’re more confident in yourself. You feel you can take the tackle, that you have the work done. Controlled aggression. That’s what you need, determination to get on the ball.
“When you don’t have it you have to work to get it back. It takes the pressure off your own backs, but you need both strength and stamina for that.”
Along with all other top-class hurlers nowadays, Daniel also works on the skills and spends many hours on the tried and tested ball-and-wall drills that go back beyond the days of the great Christy Ring.
“Workrate and skill,” he explains, “if you want to make it at inter-county level you need both. You must be willing to train five or six nights a week. Everything else is sacrificed. That’s a given. If you’re not doing that you’re going nowhere.”
His stickwork is testament to that work, a short, sharp swing reminiscent of John Fenton at his silken best but it’s with an even more recent Cork midfield legend that Daniel is now drawing comparison – Jerry O’Connor.
“I don’t know that I should be compared with Jerry, all he has achieved,” he said.
“I didn’t play for Cork until U21. We won a minor county in 2008, comfortably enough too [Daniel as captain] but we had only one player on the Cork panel, Cian McCarthy, and he was a sub. The following year then we had five or six on the U21 panel – a big turnaround, but winning the senior county titles helped the confidence too.
“Someone like me needed a break, a chance, then you have to take that chance. Consistency is the big challenge, being able to put in a good 70 minutes in every game, that’s the difference between being a good player and being a great player.”
Those 70 minutes have been Daniel’s problem, however, often seeing out the final critical minutes on the bench.
“Yeah, the way the game is evolving midfield is a strange area to play. Half-forwards are coming out so you’re not just marking you’re own man you’re marking a half-forward, fighting for ball with three or four different fellas.
“It’s getting very crowded, very physical. I work myself to the bone maybe running into blind alleys sometimes, aimless running and that’s something I’ll have to improve on. That will come with experience. I’ll have to work on my fitness levels too.”
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
