AS WASPS BAGGED six tries en route to routing Newcastle Falcons on Saturday afternoon in Coventry, one of their physios was gearing up at home in Limerick for a different sporting test.
David Breen fired home two goals for Na Piarsaigh on Sunday. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
David Breen’s day job sees him working with the English Premiership club but the ties that bind him to home and hurling with Na Piarsaigh remain strong.
He took up a post with Wasps in June last year, moving on from a role with Leinster, just a few months after the crowning moment of his hurling career when Na Piarsaigh became the first Limerick senior club to be toasted in Croke Park on St Patrick’s Day.
And yet on Sunday it was Breen slaloming through the Ballygunner rearguard at the finish to crack home the goal – his second of the afternoon – that rounded off Na Piarsaigh’s fourth provincial glory in seven seasons.
David Breen celebrates hitting the net for Na Piarsaigh. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
“It was out of my control after moving over to England to be honest,” admitted Breen.
“It was up to the management whether they wanted me to still be involved and whether they felt it was fair to the rest of the panel.
“So then they asked me the question back then and I was happy enough to try and keep doing it. It was the biggest challenge by far.
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“It’s one thing living in Dublin and driving down to train from Dublin but as soon as you’re in a different country, it’s a different kettle of fish.”
He’s aided by the accommodating nature of his employers in Wasps as exemplified by this weekend when they allowed for his return for the Munster decider.
Wasps contested the Aviva Premiership final last year in Twickenham against Exeter Chiefs. Mike Egerton
Mike Egerton
“It says a huge amount about them. They appreciate when guys are playing themselves and players appreciate that you understand high-level sport yourself so they have been happy enough to facilitate it within reason.
“There are four physios over there and they have been pretty good at filling in here and there and I will cover for them too. I probably won’t get much of a Christmas now!
“My boss over in Wasps is probably delighted that the next competitive game isn’t until February, takes a bit of heat off him. But look they’ve been very good on both sides.”
He lives in Leamington Spa, a half hour drive from the airport in Birmingham from where he frequently makes the journey to Shannon for weekend assignments with Na Piarsaigh.
Typically yesterday would have been a training day with Wasps but with their match against London Irish falling next Sunday, it was a rest day.
That allowed Breen to delay his return and savour Sunday night’s celebrations in the Na Piarsaigh clubhouse. As one of the survivors from their first county final appearance in 2009 when they were whipped by 17 points, he can appreciate the current golden run they have embarked upon.
The Adare team that won the 2009 Limerick senior hurling final. Lorraine O'Sullivan / INPHO
Lorraine O'Sullivan / INPHO / INPHO
“I made reference there to 2009 and our first ever county final when we scored three points in the whole game. That was a real tough one to take. We had a mixture of old and young that day and we were playing an Adare team that was at the peak of their powers.
“We were nobodies really. If we had got to a county quarter-final that year that would have been a bonus for us so to come back eight years later and see where we are at now, you don’t want to miss those days. You want to try and still be involved. It’s sweet.
“We’re proud of it. We don’t think about the records too much, if anything we’re more disappointed that we have that whole year on, year off cycle. That’s a challenge for us in itself to try and do a year, then do another year.
“So I think that’s a mental thing as much as anything else. I’m sure in however many years time, we’ll be looking back at the records and we’ll be a proud bunch. We have got to just enjoy it while we have it.”
He was not the only family member to shine in Thurles on Sunday, younger brother Adrian eclipsing him in the scoring stakes as he chipped in with 1-5 from play.
He has made a habit of landing big scoring hauls on significant days – goals in the 2011 Munster final replay and 2013 Munster decider along with a return of 1-4 in a man-of-the-match showing in the 2016 All-Ireland win over Cushendall.
“He’s getting a lot more consistent himself,” remarked David.
“I can see in the last year how much he has developed. His mental game, he’s not distracted by the occasion or by my father and mother more so!
“I don’t know how he puts up living with them because I couldn’t be listening to them the whole week leading up to the game anyway. He’s pretty strong mentally.”
The42 has just published its first book, Behind The Lines, a collection of some of the year’s best sports stories. Pick up your copy in Eason’s, or order it here today (€10):
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Working with Wasps rugby as a physio and playing with Limerick club as Munster winning hurler
AS WASPS BAGGED six tries en route to routing Newcastle Falcons on Saturday afternoon in Coventry, one of their physios was gearing up at home in Limerick for a different sporting test.
David Breen’s day job sees him working with the English Premiership club but the ties that bind him to home and hurling with Na Piarsaigh remain strong.
He took up a post with Wasps in June last year, moving on from a role with Leinster, just a few months after the crowning moment of his hurling career when Na Piarsaigh became the first Limerick senior club to be toasted in Croke Park on St Patrick’s Day.
The assumption may have been that living and working in the West Midlands spelled the end of a hurling career that also encompassed a stint with Limerick up until his decision to opt out in November 2015 due to increasing work commitments.
And yet on Sunday it was Breen slaloming through the Ballygunner rearguard at the finish to crack home the goal – his second of the afternoon – that rounded off Na Piarsaigh’s fourth provincial glory in seven seasons.
“It was out of my control after moving over to England to be honest,” admitted Breen.
“It was up to the management whether they wanted me to still be involved and whether they felt it was fair to the rest of the panel.
“So then they asked me the question back then and I was happy enough to try and keep doing it. It was the biggest challenge by far.
“It’s one thing living in Dublin and driving down to train from Dublin but as soon as you’re in a different country, it’s a different kettle of fish.”
He’s aided by the accommodating nature of his employers in Wasps as exemplified by this weekend when they allowed for his return for the Munster decider.
“It says a huge amount about them. They appreciate when guys are playing themselves and players appreciate that you understand high-level sport yourself so they have been happy enough to facilitate it within reason.
“There are four physios over there and they have been pretty good at filling in here and there and I will cover for them too. I probably won’t get much of a Christmas now!
“My boss over in Wasps is probably delighted that the next competitive game isn’t until February, takes a bit of heat off him. But look they’ve been very good on both sides.”
He lives in Leamington Spa, a half hour drive from the airport in Birmingham from where he frequently makes the journey to Shannon for weekend assignments with Na Piarsaigh.
Typically yesterday would have been a training day with Wasps but with their match against London Irish falling next Sunday, it was a rest day.
That allowed Breen to delay his return and savour Sunday night’s celebrations in the Na Piarsaigh clubhouse. As one of the survivors from their first county final appearance in 2009 when they were whipped by 17 points, he can appreciate the current golden run they have embarked upon.
“I made reference there to 2009 and our first ever county final when we scored three points in the whole game. That was a real tough one to take. We had a mixture of old and young that day and we were playing an Adare team that was at the peak of their powers.
“We were nobodies really. If we had got to a county quarter-final that year that would have been a bonus for us so to come back eight years later and see where we are at now, you don’t want to miss those days. You want to try and still be involved. It’s sweet.
“We’re proud of it. We don’t think about the records too much, if anything we’re more disappointed that we have that whole year on, year off cycle. That’s a challenge for us in itself to try and do a year, then do another year.
“So I think that’s a mental thing as much as anything else. I’m sure in however many years time, we’ll be looking back at the records and we’ll be a proud bunch. We have got to just enjoy it while we have it.”
He was not the only family member to shine in Thurles on Sunday, younger brother Adrian eclipsing him in the scoring stakes as he chipped in with 1-5 from play.
He has made a habit of landing big scoring hauls on significant days – goals in the 2011 Munster final replay and 2013 Munster decider along with a return of 1-4 in a man-of-the-match showing in the 2016 All-Ireland win over Cushendall.
“He’s getting a lot more consistent himself,” remarked David.
“I can see in the last year how much he has developed. His mental game, he’s not distracted by the occasion or by my father and mother more so!
“I don’t know how he puts up living with them because I couldn’t be listening to them the whole week leading up to the game anyway. He’s pretty strong mentally.”
The42 has just published its first book, Behind The Lines, a collection of some of the year’s best sports stories. Pick up your copy in Eason’s, or order it here today (€10):
From torn cruciate in club football game to Munster hurling champion in the space of 15 months
8-time All-Ireland senior champion with Cork undecided over inter-county future
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David Breen Hurling Munster Na Piarsaigh Rugby Limerick Wasps