Bournemouth starter Gavin Kilkenny learning to handle 'harsh reality of football'

Kilkenny has been in both positions for Championship leaders Bournemouth this season, two consistent spells in midfield punctuated by a barren one in solitary confinement

Gavin Kilkenny: ‘We need to get something from these games.’ Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

On the Championship carousel, one misstep and you’re demoted to bystander watching others enjoy the ride.

Gavin Kilkenny has been in both positions for league leaders Bournemouth this season, two consistent spells in midfield punctuated by a barren one in solitary confinement.

His exile by Scott Parker occurred when he returned from Ireland U21 duty in September. There was no easy landing, shunted from the high of five successive starts to the Vitality Stadium stand, bypassing the substitute’s bench.

By contrast, his restoration to the side arose from Ben Pearson’s suspension and he’s kept hold of the midfield berth for the last five games.

“That’s the harsh reality of football,” reasons the 21-year-old Dubliner.

He can only hope there’s no repeat tactics by his manager after the pair of U21 Euro qualifiers against Italy on Friday and Sweden on Tuesday.

“I know I could come out of the team but the aim is for that not to happen again,” he asserted. “You come back from an international break and things go on that you just can’t control.

“To get a taste of it by playing the first five, doing alright and then getting left out was difficult to take but it was probably, not a blessing, but something that spurred me on a bit more.

“When you’re not playing, it’s easy to fall off a bit fitness-wise. I knew what I had to do and it was an experience to get back in.”

Kilkenny has been here before, baulking at the idea that this was the first major challenge of his career.

“There have been setbacks the whole way up, in the youth team, U21s and first-team,” he explained.

“I was around the first team in 2019, playing a few pre-season and cup games. That was different because we were in the Premier League but last season was frustrating. I would’ve liked to have played a lot more matches in the Championship.”

The more he’s playing, the less likely Parker’s option of sending him on loan sees daylight. “I’m learning now that things just change but if you’re playing regularly, you’d probably stay,” was his cautious take on location stability.

Parker has talked up the academy graduate as senior international material but he’s still with the U21s for now. And how Ireland needs him for this crunch week.

One of the few remaining members of the last squad managed by senior boss Stephen Kenny, the youngsters are already playing catch-up on the top two seeds ahead of hosting them both at Tallaght.

“We haven’t spoken about it but I think we know deep down that we need to get something from these games,” he admits. “Whether that’s three or four points, we know we’re good enough to get results against both.

“Instead of the four games against Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Luxembourg (twice), Italy will come at us.

“They’ll probably look at us and think they’re better than us and they can just roll over us. We’ll take satisfaction from being the underdog and hopefully show them how good we are.”