Tom Morrissey: 'Until you're in the middle of it you don't realise how tough that actually is'

SHINTY: Gerard Walsh and Tom Morrissey played for Ireland. Picture: ©INPHO/Natasha Barton

Considering how Tom Morrissey plays the game with Limerick, masters of the possession game, answering Ireland's call was always going to pose a particular challenge.

Five-time All-Ireland winner Morrissey, along with big brother Dan, helped Ireland defeat Scotland in the hurling/shinty international last weekend.

It took a marathon 100-plus minutes to settle the ultra competitive affair which went to extra-time in Ennis.

Morrissey loved the challenge but said it was tough going from Limerick's ultra efficient ball-to-hand style, the very blueprint for modern hurling, to the hybrid game where outfield players can't handle it at all, or kick it.

"Coming into it I was telling myself, 'Don't catch it, don't catch it!' but until you're in the middle of it you don't realise how tough that actually is," said three-time All-Star Morrissey.

"We're so used to when the ball gets stuck at your feet, you just kick it out with your feet and you get a bit of space that way, pick it up and off you go. This was totally different. Not being able to catch it, I found in the forward line anyway that when you had your back to goal, it was very difficult to get it and turn, particularly when you're trying to score as well.

"There's no real scanning for a pass that you can do because you're under pressure straight away and you have the ball on your hurley and the ball is a lot more exposed. You need a good skill level to play that type of game.

"So you use it quickly, like they did in the old days, get it as far away from your own goals and as close to the opposition goals as possible."

The Morrisseys, who came up just short with Limerick in their drive for five last summer, found themselves lining out alongside rival Kilkenny, Galway and Clare players.

But they dovetailed superbly and Kilkenny's Eoin Cody wooed the crowd with his remarkable skillset, tallying 3-2 while Clare's Aidan McCarthy hit 0-9.

"You learn to use your body in a different way and you learn to find space in a different way," said Morrissey of the hybrid game. "Eoin Cody used a few flicks back over his man, he did that for a couple of scores.

"All the scores come off the hurley too, when the man is under pressure, that's something you don't see too much in an inter-county game. We're all generally striking from the hand, nobody takes on that shot off the hurl because it's not really a high efficiency shot to be taking on. But you had that skill in abundance with Ireland, a few boys nailed it and got terrific scores."

Morrissey said he didn't hesitate when he got the call up and will store the winner's medal proudly alongside his All-Ireland collection.

"Absolutely, 100%," he nodded. "You wouldn't have accepted the call up if you didn't want to come out and win it. It's a unique medal to win and one I'm definitely happy to have.

"When Sambo McNaughton gave me the call a few weeks ago, it was a no brainer to say yes. You aspire to represent your county and that's normally the height of it but to get a chance to represent Ireland is something that's definitely an experience you're going to remember for a long time and something I definitely wanted to do.

"So it was great to do it and even better to get the win. It would have been disappointing to go away without the win considering everything we put into it."

Having his family on hand to witness his and Dan's international debuts made it more special.

"They didn't have much of an excuse in fairness, we're only 20 minutes out the road!" smiled the Ahane man. "They're used to seeing us playing with the club and the county but this was something unique coming to see us playing for Ireland. It was enjoyable for them and for us."