Kerry hurling star Fionán Mackessy to explore Kilkenny opportunity

STAR: Fionán Mackessy of Kerry. Pic: Diarmuid Greene/Sportsfile

New Kerry senior hurling manager John Griffin has confirmed that star player Fionán Mackessy is currently undertaking a strength and conditioning programme with Kilkenny, and is going to explore the possibility of trying to make it onto the Cats’ senior squad.

The 26-year-old, who is working in the Leinster county, transferred clubs from St Brendan’s Ardfert to this year’s All-Ireland runners-up, O’Loughlin Gaels, and has been in stunning form for Brian Hogan’s side in their passage to the county decider.

Mackessy notched 1-4 in the quarter-final victory over Dicksboro, in a game where O’Loughlin Gaels had been reduced to 13 men, and he followed that up with a 1-7 tally last Sunday in the semi-final triumph over Bennettsbridge. Thomastown await the defending champions in a fortnight’s time.

“I spoke to nearly 55 to 60-plus players, because there are players who might not have been able to come in for different reasons over the last couple of months. Obviously Fionán is one of them,” said Griffin.

“I know what Fionán is capable of, one of the best players in the Joe Mac in the last few years. He’s after getting a job in Kilkenny, he’s playing his club hurling with O’Loughlin Gaels.

“He sees an opportunity now as he's living and working up there of maybe making a Kilkenny panel. Obviously at the moment I think he’s doing a little bit of S&C with them, the Kilkenny panel as far as I know, and he has to explore that opportunity.

“I don’t think anyone in his home club or in Kerry would begrudge him that. Obviously, part of me would like to see the best for any Kerry hurler. I put the selfish hat on as well as I want the best players to play with Kerry,” added the Lixnaw club-man, who has replaced Stephen Molumphy at the helm.

Griffin believes that no matter what happens with Mackessy over the next few weeks and months, the Ardfert stalwart, who has been selected on the Joe McDonagh Cup Team of the Year for five seasons in succession, will be seen in the green and gold colours again.

“I’ve had a conversation with him. Obviously, if Kilkenny works out, it works out. If it doesn’t, we’ll see is the opportunity there to come back with us. I would hope in the future Fionán would wear a Kerry jersey again, and I think he will.

“For right now, he has to maybe explore that opportunity with Kilkenny, and good luck to him, but like I’ve said to a lot of them, the door is always open to him, and maybe to certain lads as well.

“The door is open, we can have a conversation and see what we can make work. I’m not going to turn him away. Do I know Fionán very well? I don’t, but I know how dedicated he is and how focused he is on making this work, and I know how dedicated he is in terms of his preparation, from talking to previous management teams and back-room teams.

“I’d love to see him involved, while I’m involved. I don’t know how long I’ll be there, but I’d love to see him involved at some stage, but good luck to him also. It’s a huge opportunity for him.

“You know what, there's the Bryan Murphys above in Cork, and Darragh O’Connell went to Dublin, and Fionán Mackessy, they’ve all done well outside of that Kerry bubble and, for good reason as well.

“When I mention the three of them, I know how dedicated and how hard-working they are and the effort they put in, and they thrive in that environment,” stressed the Kingdom boss.