Ballyea’s Kelly faces tough balancing act

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. For the likes of Ballyea anyway, although Tony Kelly would prefer if there was more of a festive hue about this evening’s All-Ireland club semi-final.

See, it’s just that things are intensive enough as it is for the 2013 hurler of the year, what with new management in Clare and Fitzgibbon Cup hurling on his agenda. Ballyea rightly benefit from the vast majority of his focus but he would prefer to give them everything.

Last week, he played 55 minutes for Brian Lohan’s University of Limerick side as they handsomely beat Cork IT before sitting out Thursday’s win over NUI Galway. All the while, the communication lines have been well and truly open with Donal Moloney and Gerry O’Connor in the county set-up.