Louth-based Carey has worked his way back from injury to lead Beaufort attack

Jason O’Connor spoke to Beaufort player Liam Carey who is currently living just 30 minutes from Drogheda

HE’S not exactly within enemy lines but being based a 30-minute drive away from Sunday’s opponents, Beaufort’s Liam Carey finds himself in an interesting position. His studies to become a teacher bring him to Louth for the time being. Shortly before their Munster Junior Final win over Dromtariffe, Carey began a teaching post in Julianstown, Co Meath with accommodation secured in nearby Drogheda across the Louth/Meath border. The commute had a bit of a set-back initially for Carey as it arguably led to the injury he received immediately prior to throw-in on the big day in Mallow.

“I just overstretched trying to block a ball in the warm-up and my hamstring went and it was tough to watch the game not only with my injury but how the match was going as well, and knowing there was nothing I could do about it. In fairness the lads pulled it out that day but in hindsight I think we were a small bit overconfident in advance,” Carey said about the win over Dromtariffe.

Being involved in the Kerry Minor success of 2014, Carey has an understanding about big occasions but finds this particular one a bit more intimate.

“Over Christmas there was a lot of people talking to you and asking how everything was going for us, etc. It’s more pressure than the Kerry Minors in that respect even though I’m not experiencing a lot of it at the moment being based up here away from it,” he feels.

The build-up has been long, not least in being the last Kerry side to start their Munster campaign on the second weekend in November, but in general Carey preferred the way the new schedule was ran in 2018.

“I liked the way it was all split up and the games were not coming on top of each other like in other years. It was a long time from when we beat Na Gaeil in May but we were able to plan well for it on all fronts,” the All-Ireland Minor winner said. Injury has prevented him from training and getting a better understanding of their potential opponents in Young Irelands but Carey says the level of interest is similar to what you find in the Kingdom.

“A lot of people talk GAA up here and a lot of them seem to have the same training schedule and preparation clubs in Kerry would have. They would have that bit of physicality and strength that other Kerry sides might lack but it general seems to be the football that stands to Kerry teams when it comes to playing at All-Ireland level,” he finds.

Carey will meet up with his team-mates on Saturday prior to Sunday’s big day in Portlaoise and gives a sense of how Beaufort have come to this stage in recent years.

“I think it was in the last two years that we really started to believe when we capable of going this far. We lost to Glenbeigh/ Glencar in the semi-final in 2015 but winning Mid Kerry the year after starting to make us believe we were capable of achieving more,” Carey said.

Although he hasn’t fully been involved in preparations, Carey says that challenge matches are a tough thing to try and measure at this time of year.

“A lot of clubs are only really getting going again and would not really at the level we would be at, at this point in time so it’s hard to find the right ones you need. Our management have been working well though to ensure that everyone will be right for this though.”

Barring a draw someone will be heading back to Louth on Sunday evening in a happy mood, Carey will no doubt be hoping it is himself and not the Dundalk Young Irelands side.