Adam Screeney: I’m 19, all I want to do is hurl

HURLING FIRST: Offaly's Adam Screeney celebrates winning the U20 All-Ireland HC title. Pic: ©INPHO/Tom Maher

Offaly starlet Adam Screeney says a love of the game is keeping him grounded as the hysteria grows around him.

The Kilcormac-Killoughey 19-year-old scored almost half of the county’s total as they annexed a first U20 All-Ireland HC title against Tipperary on Saturday.

It was the latest eye-catching display from the teenager who struggled to get to the dressing room for the post-match celebrations due to the throngs of well-wishers, autograph and selfie hunters and interview requests.

All those interested parties were also hanging around for him afterwards but he is allowing a lot of the mania go over his head. “I’m 19, all I want to do is hurl. I don’t want to get too ahead of myself and I don’t think my friends and family would let me get too ahead of myself anyway.” 

Screeney’s parents Keith and Jacqueline have been long-term Croke Park ticket holders for several years and the exposure to hurling’s biggest games deepened their son’s affection for the sport.

“I’ve been in Croke Park since about three years of age with my father and he’s been absolutely incredible to me and in my career and in fairness I can’t thank him enough.” 

When Leo O’Connor speaks of players needing to develop, there is a physical body of work ahead for them especially Screeney. In March’s Division 1, Group A heavy defeat to Cork in Tullamore, he came off nine minutes into the second half having been largely anonymous.

It’s going to be a patience game at senior level and he doesn’t mind waiting. Although, he sure would like things to come good against Laois in Saturday’s Joe McDonagh Cup final.

“I suppose it’s a marathon, not a sprint. We are going to Croke Park next Saturday wanting to get back up to the Leinster championship, which would be huge for Offaly.” 

The hope now is this mass enthusiasm for the U20 team will transfer to the seniors. “I think they’re great supporters and have been all year. We went into O’Connor Park for a Leinster semi-final and there were definitely the guts of 15,000 people there. Where else would you get it in the country in an under-age match? We just hope to God that support follows us next Saturday.

“Offaly is a high so we hope they do. Winning is a mentality and now that we have momentum behind us it’s going to be huge. We’re going to be raring to go for Laois.” 

The crowd certainly played their part in UPMC Nowlan Park at the week and Screeney complimented them for cajoling the team after half-time in a period where they had been flat in last year’s final against Cork.

“We knew we had a big challenge ahead of us. Most of us were down at the Munster final last Friday in Limerick. We knew Tipp were a good side and they wanted to win another U20 All-Ireland title but we came with the right mindset and knew we would have to put in a huge shift.

“Last year, we went in at half-time two points down, came back down and struggled for the next 10 minutes. We knew we couldn’t let that happen again. But that crowd knew and they drove us on straight away after half-time.