Austin Gleeson: 'I haven't enjoyed my hurling as much in a long, long time'

A summer break has done wonders for the Mount Sion talisman

Mon, 05 Sep, 2022 - 13:05

John Fogarty

Mount Sion captain Austin Gleeson says he is “loving hurling at the moment” following a meaningful rest this summer.

With a haul of 2-21 in three championship appearances, the most decorated club in Waterford hurling will look to the talismanic Gleeson as they aim to annex a first senior county title in 16 years this Sunday, at the same time stopping Ballygunner joining them and Erins Own as the third club to complete the nine-in-a-row.

Being able to put down the hurley in warm weather months has rejuvenated the 27-year-old. “I’ll be honest with you, I don’t think I’ve enjoyed my hurling as much in a long, long time as I am now. Maybe the good break during the summer when the county didn’t go our way (helped). I was able to go on one of my good friend’s stags and was able to do normal things that I’ve probably never really been able to do before.

“It gave me a bit of hunger. The club left me alone for a month or so to do what I needed to do to blow off a bit of steam, and I came back hungry and just eager and I believe in the team that’s there. A lot of my best friends are in that dressing room and we just give it our all for each other. I’m just loving hurling at the moment and I’m hoping it continues next week.”

Having picked up a number of injuries these past couple of seasons, doing nothing was as good for Gleeson’s body as his head, although he missed the group stage win over Tallow with a complaint. “The legs are carrying a bit now,” he smiles. “I think it’s nine years I’ve been playing inter-county. I’m just trying to do the right things.

“I’ve been picking up small niggles the last few years and that didn’t really help getting a run at it but thankfully I’m getting a run at things now and hopefully next Sunday I’ll be leading the team out and it’ll be a great privilege for myself and my family.”

After Ballygunner leaned on the expertise of performance coach and former Galway hurler Tony Óg Regan in their All-Ireland winning season, Mount Sion have been working with sports psychologist and former Wicklow senior football coach Paul O’Riordan and the results speak for themselves, says Gleeson.

“He’s just trying to get it into our heads that we can win it before anything else and thankfully it’s working for us this year. There were stages in the second half (v De La Salle) when I thought the game was going away from us but we just dug in because of the work he’s been doing with us. We owe a lot to him and it’s good that players are stepping up and taking leadership.”

After they were blown away by Ballygunner in their last final appearance eight years ago, Gleeson is confident O’Riordan will have the players at the right pitch for Sunday. “The last time we were there was 2014 and as a young group we thought we would be there a couple of more times at least by this stage. We’re just going to embrace and go for it as much as we can.

“I do think that (stage fright) happened to us in 2014. It was our first county final and the build-up and all around the club, the parade in Walsh Park, but we’ll be well prepared this week. We have Paul (O'Riordan) working with us and he’ll have us ready for that.”

Gleeson’s duel with Waterford team-mate Jack Fagan in Sunday’s semi-final was riveting before the 2016 hurler and young hurler of the year exploded into life in the second half. "Jack’s a great character, I get on very well with him and he’s fit and strong and hurling well. We just went at it and there was no malice in it.”

It’s a test he hopes will stand to them ahead of facing the All-Ireland champions. “We knew it was going to be a hard-hitting, physical game and it was something we were prepared for. They gave everything, we gave everything but we’ve a lot of stuff to work on in the next week. We could have done a few things better and we will have to against Ballygunner.”