Kelly set for double shift
Captain is up for the challenge
STEPHEN ‘CHESTER’ KELLY is facing into a busy couple of days this coming weekend. On Saturday he will line out with the Wicklow hurlers against Carlow in Netwatch Dr. Cullen Park in the semi final of the Christy Ring Cup. Then, twenty four hours later, the Ballsbridge based bank official, will captain the Wicklow Senior Footballers when they face Louth in the Leinster Senior Football Championship in Parnell Park in Dublin.
On Monday night last we met with the Eire Og, Greystones man in Ballinakill at a hurling training session. We sat down and chatted about the up coming weekend.
L.O’L: Stephan, you have a busy weekend coming up, when you will be involved with county hurling and football teams over a twenty four hour period. Are you comfortable with that?
Stephen: Obviously, its unfortunate that the fixtures are so close. I have been involved in similar situations on a few occasions over the years and there is little to be done about it. Generally, with league fixtures usually played on alternate weekends, there are no problems. Very occasionally we come up against what will happen this weekend. We just have to get on with it.
L.O’L: How many years have you been involved at inter-county level in both codes?
Stephen: I came on to the football squad in 2009. This is my ninth year to be involved.
I arrived on the hurling team a couple of years earlier. So I have been involved for the past ten years all round.
LO’L: Have you enjoyed that experience?
Stephen: Oh I have. Obviously there have been ups and downs over the years. We achieved promotion to division 3 in the football under Harry Murphy. Unfortunately we came straight back down the following year. We had a couple of successful Hurling League campaigns. I have been fortunate to escape serious injury on the inter county scene. I did receive a bad setback last year but that happened while playing with my club.
L O’L: You have played under a number of football team managers. Johnny McGee is the current man. How are things progressing there?
Stephen: The mood in the squad is very good at the moment. Johnny has varied his programme year on year and manages to keep introducing fresh ideas.
L O’L. We had a disappointing league campaign. Has that affected preparations?
Stephen: Not really. We had targeted our first two league outings to try and get a bit of momentum. Unfortunately it didn’t work out. There was a big improvement against Wexford and Westmeath. Losing there meant the league was gone. However, we have built up to good championship outings in the last two years against Laois and Meath. Based on our league performances we will be coming in under the radar. We are happy about that and are looking forward to a big performance on Sunday.
L O’L: How do you feel about Parnell Park?
Stephen: We’ve no issues there. Some of the lads have already had an O’Byrne Cup win there against Dublin. It is a nice compact smaller ground and there should be a great atmosphere for the game.
L O’L: How would you describe your style of captaincy?
Stephen: The quiet sort who just gets out and tries to lead by example.
L O’L: On Saturday in Carlow would it be fair to say that we will be up against it?
Stephen: Certainly if we were to pay attention to the bookies, both Carlow and Antrim are unbeatable. However, we have always played well against Carlow. Remember we were involved in two playoffs last year.
One was to hold our place in our division of the league. We succeeded. We also had to play off to survive in the Christy Ring Cup. Again we succeeded. This momentum continued into this year.
Under Seamus Murphy and Michael Neary we had a very successful league campaign. We were underdogs against London but we won. We were also underdogs against Kildare. Again we won.
There is a great spirit in this hurling squad and I have great confidence that we can win again on Saturday in Carlow. Certainly we are coming in under radar but that suits.
L O’L: You mentioned Seamus Murphy and Michael Neary. That combination has gone well?
Stephen: Certainly it has. We have had experience of what Michael brings over the years. Seamus was new to most of us but he has brought in a fresh approach and has managed to get everyone –clubs and players – singing off the same hymn sheet. It is this unity that is driving our success.
L O’L: In conclusion, Stephan, you feel that a Wicklow double at the weekend is more than a possibility?
Stephen: I do. Most pundits don’t reckon we have a chance of that and its then we are most dangerous. We are more than capable of a double.