TJ REID WALKS into Kilkenny’s Springhill Court Hotel and heads turn.
He looks lean and trim, sporting a Connolly’s Red Mills jacket, neat slacks and shoes.
It’s lunchtime and while this might be off-season, Reid is still conscious of the right type of fuel that he should be putting into his body.
Chicken’s on the carvery menu and he goes for that. “Just the one scoop of mash and loads of veg.”
We sit down and chat for a while before the dictaphone goes on and Reid shares his thoughts on what was another landmark year for him and Kilkenny hurling.
The 2015 Hurler of the Year collected 4-32 in the summer’s championship, or an average of 11 points per game.
His first-half goal against Galway in the All-Ireland final helped to keep Kilkenny in the tie before the Cats produced a much-improved second-half performance to claim the Liam MacCarthy Cup for a 36th time.
The conversation begins with his penchant for scoring crucial goals at crucial times:
TJ: “In the last few years, I’ve been trying my best to get on as much breaking ball as I can. In the All-Ireland final, ‘Wally’ (Walter Walsh) won the ball on the edge of the square, I was probably 20 yards away from him but I still made that run.
“I knew Wally was going to hassle him but I still got as close to Wally as I could. Even if he hadn’t won the ball, I would have been there to help him out but lucky enough, Wally got a vital flick and won it, I made that 20/30 yard run to get the pass off Wally and scored the goal.
James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
“From half-forward, I try to get on that breaking ball, making that 30/40-yard run. Of course, you could make 10 runs and get one of them but over the last few years, that’s what I’ve been trying my best to do, get in as quickly as possible.”
Jackie Cahill: Do you always decide to go?
TJ: “It was a defender’s ball but with Kilkenny, you know he’s going to hassle him. You have to be fit. If you’re not fit you won’t make that 30/40-yard run so you have to be fit.
“Myself, I’m a big presence around the square because I’m good in the air and strong as well. This year, Brian placed me at full-forward on a number of occasions. Maybe Brian (Cody) thinks I’m a good presence on the edge of the square to try and get a killer goal.
You often saw Henry Shefflin being placed at full-forward, trying to get one or two early goals but it is a killer instinct, getting those one or two early goals because it puts the doubt on the opposition straight away.
“With Kilkenny, when we see the light at the end of the tunnel, we kick on. Maybe other teams don’t have that winning formula yet, they drop their heads and die off.”
JC: How do you judge or measure form? They say peak years are 26, 27, 28 so it stands to reason that’s how it is with you? Do you feel better than ever, fitter than ever?
TJ: “Of course it’s hard work. Obviously you’re hearing the likes of Tony Kelly at the age of 22. It’s a young man’s game now and I’m two years off 30 and wondering do I have much left? But it’s only a number.
“You can be as fit as you can when you want to be. It is hard work and obviously I’m 28 and if I’m marking a 21-year-old, I would feel confident over him because I have seven years of conditioning, fitness and experience over him.
So you would feel that you would have the upper hand on a young lad but at 28, you know your diet so well, you know your fitness so well, the attitude to bring. All of those elements have a key to being an experienced player.
“Starting off at 21 or 22, your attitude to the game mightn’t be as good as Richie Hogan, who won it (Hurler of the Year) last year. That has a part to play in it.”
JC: It’s all about standards? Even in there you went for one scoop of mash, chicken and loads of veg, whereas other people might say, I’ll have that extra bit…
TJ: “Starting off, I didn’t know anything about diet. You go home, you eat a sliced pan, you get spuds, chips, sausages, you just don’t know anything about it so obviously it’s a learning curve for yourself.”
JC: Who helped you with that kind of stuff?
TJ: Noreen Roche, our dietitian. And gym work, I never did it when I was a young lad, it was never a thing. Once you’re put into the Kilkenny set-up, they’re top notch. You have Mick Dempsey there, a top conditioning lad as well. The first year in, you wouldn’t have bought into it….that was 2007, the conditioning side to it then wasn’t advanced as is in the last five years.
“It’s after stepping up an awful lot. Myself now, I love going to the gym, I love looking at ways to try and improve myself and obviously the diet, it is 80 per cent diet and 20 per cent exercise. You are what you eat.
TJ Reid with Michael Dempsey at the Kilkenny homecoming. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
“You could go in there, have three or four spuds, no veg and chips as well if you wanted to but you’re always looking for that edge, trying to stay healthy. Before, you wouldn’t have known but now I know I have to keep the calories down, keep the carbohydrates then, it’s off-season now so you’re not going to be doing as much as in the summer time.
“There’s a different diet when you train, you need more carbohydrates for endurance. But at this time of the year, you’d be trying to cut back on the calories and carbohydrates because you’re not burning as much.”
JC: You can blame me for Paul Murphy’s calf nuts comment during the summer! I remarked to Paul that you looked even bigger physically this year. But on a wider scale, you obviously need an understanding employer to put the work in, and you seem to have that.
TJ: “Yeah, definitely. I’m a sales rep with Connolly’s Red Mills so I’m sitting in a jeep all day. I’m not going to go home and sit on a couch at night so I like getting my gear bag, going to the gym and seeing the areas where I can improve.
“This year, I toned up, my body fat dropped, my lean muscle mass went up but it’s hard work, it doesn’t happen overnight. The way it is now, when you come home from training, you can’t just throw your gear bag into the corner of the press and pick it up the next night you’re going.
Paul Murphy with the Liam MacCarthy Cup. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
“The next night you have to be in the gym, working on your speed, or your strength as well. I didn’t become big over a year, it probably took three or four years of conditioning and knowing the balance.
There’s no point pumping heavy weights all year round because you would become maybe too big and slow off the pace. At this moment you’re building your size and power.
“Come the summer months then it’s more speed stuff and lighter weights, so you’re light on your feet rather than going to the gym and lifting as heavy as you can. At the end of the day, we’re not body-builders, we have to be agile and we have to have a balance as well.”
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JC: Do you know when you’re getting unfit? Can you feel it?
TJ: “Back in January and February, you’d feel unfit! And it’s hard graft but I had three goals this year – everything was 100 per cent in my nutrition, fitness and conditioning.
“So I knew going out that I had those boxes ticked. I had my hurling then and I know myself that my hurling is up there so everything else looked after itself so when you’re running around Nowlan Park and doing the runs and you’re beating lads, you say to yourself ‘jeez, I’m fit’, and you’re going to the gym then and lifting your weights at 100 per cent as well, you know you’re fit.
“It’s a confidence thing as well. If you’re having doubts going into a game and saying to yourself ‘Jaysus, I should have done more’, you’re playing catch-up then. It’s hard work, there are nights in the gym on my own doing my stuff. Obviously that’s myself, there are plenty of other lads who go to the gym on their own…”
JC: But you’re not responsible for them, you’re responsible for yourself…
TJ: “I’m responsible for myself and that’s the way Brian is. Brian doesn’t tell anyone to go to the gym. It’s up to yourself and he trusts everyone to do it because we want to win and compete against the best and for that, you have to be at your best the whole time.
Kilkenny boss Brian Cody. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
“There was a big push this year, even myself, people were talking about me being the new leader, Richie Hogan, Kieran Joyce, Paul Murphy. You’re saying to yourself ‘right, I have to step up’ so maybe that’s the reason I put in more effort this year because it was left over to the likes of us to win All-Irelands and be at your best.”
JC: So rather than ignoring that talk of leaders, you said ok, bring it on?
TJ: ”Oh definitely. You look forward to the challenge. The boys that retired, they won plenty of All-Irelands for us so for me, being on the field when that final whistle went, I said ‘yes’, I’ve done it for myself and for my team.
Every other individual on the team had the same feeling. This year was one of the best All-Irelands that I won, and the rest of the guys.”
JC: That feeling at full-time on the first Sunday in September, Brian Cody lives for that. It’s unlike any feeling that you’ll have? It’s satisfaction, elation, everything?
TJ: “You could be in the dressing room after and you don’t have to say anything, that smile on your face…when that final whistle goes and you know you’ve put in all of that hard work, all those hard hours, that’s what makes winning All-Irelands so enjoyable.”
JC: You look into each other’s eyes and know your teammates went through the same thing, for this moment?
TJ: “That’s the pinnacle but we’re only doing our best, we love competing, getting ourselves ready for big games. We love playing at Croke Park, I think every player loves that, Dublin footballers do! That’s where you want to play every game.
For us, going to Croke Park to play in front of your crowd, that’s what we love doing. We love competing, we love getting ready for the likes of Tipp, Cork, Galway, the big games, the build-up towards it, and getting yourself mentally and physically right for these games is what drives on.
“Obviously you have lads cutting the back off you and stuff like that, the media running you down as well, they all have a part to play in sport.”
JC: Does that stuff motivate you?
TJ: “It would. Before big games, we don’t read the papers…
JC: Do you get a feeling that people want you to fail, or fall?
TJ: ”I think a lot of counties don’t like Kilkenny…”
JC: Because you’re successful?
TJ: ”Maybe so, yeah. But then the die-hards love watching Kilkenny because of what we bring. We go out and hurl the ball, there’s no dirt. There’s no mouthing at the opposition, it’s ball on ball, you’re marking a man, I’m doing away with you today and that’s the way it is but the die-hards support Kilkenny because…it’s like Barcelona, they’re probably the best around. But for me, I love watching them because of what they bring.
TJ Reid is a big fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona. David Ramos
David Ramos
“When they lose the ball, their work-rate off the ball to win it back is unbelievable. Their passing and what they bring is unbelievable but before games, maybe, if the management team picked up the paper and someone said this, or a certain point before a big game could be mentioned.
“It does help motivate the team, if these lads are saying this about us, and you try to prove them wrong. You do try to use every motivation that you can, try and build up that anger against a team.
“You mightn’t hate them at all but any team you play, you try and build up that anger against them. You might be best friends with some of them but you have to build up that anger against them.”
JC: What’s his (Cody’s) secret to staying so successful over a long period of time? He seems to keep ye at that same level, never too high, never too low. How does he keep himself motivated, given that he’s done it all?
TJ: “You may ask Brian that (smiles). He just loves it, basically. He loves the job of being the boss. He motivates you so well, and gets the best out of a lot of players.”
JC: How, though, TJ? With you, for example, you’re going into next year as Hurler of the Year, All-Ireland winner, Allstar. A lot of it has to come from yourself, obviously?
TJ: “Oh, 90 per cent of it comes from yourself. At the moment, I know I’m after doing two months myself in the gym. At the end of the day, I won Hurler of the Year but that one’s at home on the cabinet and I’m looking forward to next year.
“I think it’s the individual player that has to step up and be counted. I could go off the rails, socialising and this and that, but if you want to become that player, you won’t do that. When you get that award, you want to achieve bigger next year.
Richie Hogan was Hurler of the Year in 2014. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
“Richie Hogan won it last year, he was fairly close to winning it again this year so you have to take a bit of advice off those players as well, and how do you keep going. Because it is hard, mentally, to keep it going and form might dip.
That’s when Brian is there to give you a kick up the backside. He does do that. If your form in training is off, he will call you over.
“He won’t bollock you in front of the dressing room but he will bring you aside. And he’ll give you confidence as well.
This year, he said ‘TJ, you’re in the shape of your life, just go out and hurl. Let your hurling do the talking.’ This year, looking back, that’s what happened. Every individual is the same. If you’re not fit, you won’t perform.
That’s what I’m saying about the last five years, fitness and conditioning is after going to the next level. But Brian motivates you brilliantly before games. He’s there a long time, he knows the secrets, when to say this, not to say this.
Brian Cody celebrates his 11th All-Ireland SHC title success as Kilkenny manager. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
“The players represent themselves and the Kilkenny jersey. We know what it takes. Myself, I learned so much off the boys that are gone. They were the leaders and you looked up to them, watching how they trained. Back when I was starting, Henry stayed back after training, JJ, Tommy Walsh, pucking a ball.
“Henry taking frees and shooting points, Tommy out mad to puck. They’d have to be forced to get off the field. That passes down, that attitude in the gym, that attitude off the field, we learned so much from those lads. In the last two years, the likes of myself, Richie Hogan, Paul Murphy, Kieran Joyce, Mick Fennelly, Eoin Larkin, we’re after watching them to do it and it’s up to us to bring it now.
Retired Kilkenny stars Tommy Walsh, Henry Shefflin and JJ Delaney. Donall Farmer / INPHO
Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO
“Brian doesn’t have to tell us to go out on the field and puck the ball. We’re out on that field, it’s not just a handy puckaround. As soon as we cross those white lines in Nowlan Park, the ball is zipping the whole time. It’s a complete attitude – it’s the players that look after themselves and Brian is there to conduct the whole thing.”
JC: It’s a lifestyle, isn’t it? A way of life, a set of principles and values, like walking into the All Blacks, Barcelona or any elite set-up? You know the right way to behave and conduct yourself?
TJ: “You know you’re playing for Kilkenny and you’re very lucky that you are representing Kilkenny because there are so many great players out there that could be in there instead of you.
Any time you get the jersey, you know there’s a lad on the bench who could take your spot as well. It’s a way of life. When you’re in there, it’s a great place to be. We get so well looked after by the county board, we’re spoiled at times.
“It’s the place you want to be if you’re a young lad playing minor or Under-21, your next step is hoping you get a call from Brian Cody. As a young lad in Kilkenny, that’s where you wanted to be.
“You dreamt of playing for Kilkenny, playing in Croke Park. You don’t dream of winning All-Irelands and winning Hurler of the Year, that’s just bonuses but as a young lad growing up, you’d dream of playing with the likes of Henry, JJ, Tommy, you just wanted to be there.
“When you do get that chance, you’re just buzzing around the field because you’re here and this is why you’ve put in the hard graft.”
JC: I’ll put this to you, and I could be totally off the wall here, you seem very settled, calm, satisfied with where you are in your career. Has hurling matured you or have you matured naturally with age? Your 20s can be the time to enjoy yourself, too. I’m sure you do when the time is right? So, have you matured because of being a Kilkenny hurler of just naturally?
TJ: “Being an inter-county hurler does change your life. It changes the way people look at you, talk to you. People notice you so it does change you.
It could change you in a different way but you could talk to all the Kilkenny lads and they’re all down to earth, sound fellas.”
JC: Which is what people like. I’m sure you don’t have to look too far to find examples of the other way?
TJ: “Brian likes that and a lad stepping out of line will be told. It’s the job as well, you’re meeting people the whole time. You have a responsibility to look after yourself as well, you know you can’t be blackguarding or messing around because there’s so much in terms of snapchats and all this kind of stuff going around.
Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
“You have to be minding yourself too. You have time to have down time, that’s the time to enjoy it. It’s about enjoying life as well. Hurling can bring a lot of enjoyment to you. You have great friends for life.
“Recently, we were in Berlin for Richie Power’s 30th party. So being on a county team, making friends like that, you have memories for life but you try and be yourself. I am being myself, this is me.”
JC: You haven’t changed a bit, TJ, testament to you, but I think you’ve settled a bit?
TJ: “If I heard a person saying that I’m cocky, I wouldn’t like it, I’d get upset over it because I’m not. I was a young lad who grew up on a farm and I love going home, getting out on the farm.
“That’s what I love doing. Other lads have their different social things to be doing but for me, it’s about being at home, on the farm, and being with my family.
Other lads might go a different way but I was always a shy lad growing up, a bit cracked as well, but I’m just being myself. That’s the important thing, being yourself.”
JC: When you decide to socialise, do you like having a few of the Kilkenny lads with you, or your childhood mates? Some people might say that when you go out, the last thing you want to do is talk about hurling?
TJ: “Again, when the opportunity comes, when you’re playing with Kilkenny for a long period of time and being with the Kilkenny lads 8/9 months of the year, of course you love going back to the lads in the club because you haven’t seen them for the year.
“You love going for a few sociable drinks, meeting up in town or the local in Ballyhale, you love going down and meeting all of the older lads and having the craic with them as well. But there’ll always be a conversation about hurling…”
JC: You can’t get away from it!
TJ: “But that’s what we love doing, what we love talking about. You’d love slagging whoever’s beside you about missing something or being useless last year, and that kind of stuff!
“Bit of craic to it as well but it’s Christmas time as well now and we’re heading away to Thailand with the county boys so this is the time to have a bit of down time with the local Ballyhale boys.
“Come January, you’re back in with Kilkenny and you won’t be having a sociable drink with the club lads for a long time. But no, meeting your local boys for a few drinks is what brings you back down to earth.
“It’s the local boys that will bring you back down! I played the shinty game and I wasn’t very good at it! I was told that as well! That’s what you enjoy doing, meeting up with your friends.”
Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
JC: You’ve been asked a couple of times since and you’ve been uncomfortable about it and I understand why. Henry said in his book that you were considering walking away (in 2012). Were you or was he exaggerating? Where were you at that time?
TJ: “I was, yeah, I was thinking about going. It was back when I was on and off the whole time. Maybe I thought myself that I should have been playing every game.
JC: That’s not a bad way to think though, either?
TJ: “Maybe looking back now, I wasn’t as consistent as I am now. I’d have my good game, next game taken off and then dropped and being annoyed. Every hurler would be annoyed and maybe I thought myself that Brian was being hard on me. Maybe I felt he didn’t like me, or whatever. I was only 24, I think.
We beat Limerick. Maybe at that age you want to be playing every game, I was annoyed. I saw the team sheet for the game. I said, right, that’s it. I went home to the family, spoke to them. I had words with them and then I rang Henry. Usually we’d go to Langton’s after the game or training. I didn’t go, I went home.
“The family were supporting me as well. I spoke to Henry, a few words with Henry. I rang (former selector) Martin Fogarty as well and had a few words with Martin. I didn’t rush into it and I made the decision, right, I’ll give it one more go.
Former Kilkenny selector Martin Fogarty. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
“Obviously I met Brian as well and maybe that was the turning point in my career. I sat down with Brian, he sat down with me, and we had it out. I told him how I felt. After that year, I’ve been up there with the best.
“Maybe having those words with Brian turned my career. But then again, I love hurling so much and you want to be there. It was hard to walk away but I decided this was what I loved doing and I’ll stick it out. I’m grateful that I am still here.
“I think in every sporting career, you have those moments and maybe I reacted in a way that I shouldn’t have but at the time, I thought I was right.
“Maybe it was the thing to do to sit with Brian and tell him how I felt. After that, we won the All-Ireland and I had a very good year that year for Kilkenny.”
TJ Reid: ‘If I heard a person saying that I’m cocky, I wouldn’t like it’
TJ REID WALKS into Kilkenny’s Springhill Court Hotel and heads turn.
He looks lean and trim, sporting a Connolly’s Red Mills jacket, neat slacks and shoes.
It’s lunchtime and while this might be off-season, Reid is still conscious of the right type of fuel that he should be putting into his body.
Chicken’s on the carvery menu and he goes for that. “Just the one scoop of mash and loads of veg.”
We sit down and chat for a while before the dictaphone goes on and Reid shares his thoughts on what was another landmark year for him and Kilkenny hurling.
The 2015 Hurler of the Year collected 4-32 in the summer’s championship, or an average of 11 points per game.
His first-half goal against Galway in the All-Ireland final helped to keep Kilkenny in the tie before the Cats produced a much-improved second-half performance to claim the Liam MacCarthy Cup for a 36th time.
The conversation begins with his penchant for scoring crucial goals at crucial times:
TJ: “In the last few years, I’ve been trying my best to get on as much breaking ball as I can. In the All-Ireland final, ‘Wally’ (Walter Walsh) won the ball on the edge of the square, I was probably 20 yards away from him but I still made that run.
“I knew Wally was going to hassle him but I still got as close to Wally as I could. Even if he hadn’t won the ball, I would have been there to help him out but lucky enough, Wally got a vital flick and won it, I made that 20/30 yard run to get the pass off Wally and scored the goal.
“From half-forward, I try to get on that breaking ball, making that 30/40-yard run. Of course, you could make 10 runs and get one of them but over the last few years, that’s what I’ve been trying my best to do, get in as quickly as possible.”
Jackie Cahill: Do you always decide to go?
TJ: “It was a defender’s ball but with Kilkenny, you know he’s going to hassle him. You have to be fit. If you’re not fit you won’t make that 30/40-yard run so you have to be fit.
“Myself, I’m a big presence around the square because I’m good in the air and strong as well. This year, Brian placed me at full-forward on a number of occasions. Maybe Brian (Cody) thinks I’m a good presence on the edge of the square to try and get a killer goal.
“With Kilkenny, when we see the light at the end of the tunnel, we kick on. Maybe other teams don’t have that winning formula yet, they drop their heads and die off.”
JC: How do you judge or measure form? They say peak years are 26, 27, 28 so it stands to reason that’s how it is with you? Do you feel better than ever, fitter than ever?
TJ: “Of course it’s hard work. Obviously you’re hearing the likes of Tony Kelly at the age of 22. It’s a young man’s game now and I’m two years off 30 and wondering do I have much left? But it’s only a number.
“You can be as fit as you can when you want to be. It is hard work and obviously I’m 28 and if I’m marking a 21-year-old, I would feel confident over him because I have seven years of conditioning, fitness and experience over him.
“Starting off at 21 or 22, your attitude to the game mightn’t be as good as Richie Hogan, who won it (Hurler of the Year) last year. That has a part to play in it.”
JC: It’s all about standards? Even in there you went for one scoop of mash, chicken and loads of veg, whereas other people might say, I’ll have that extra bit…
TJ: “Starting off, I didn’t know anything about diet. You go home, you eat a sliced pan, you get spuds, chips, sausages, you just don’t know anything about it so obviously it’s a learning curve for yourself.”
JC: Who helped you with that kind of stuff?
TJ: Noreen Roche, our dietitian. And gym work, I never did it when I was a young lad, it was never a thing. Once you’re put into the Kilkenny set-up, they’re top notch. You have Mick Dempsey there, a top conditioning lad as well. The first year in, you wouldn’t have bought into it….that was 2007, the conditioning side to it then wasn’t advanced as is in the last five years.
“It’s after stepping up an awful lot. Myself now, I love going to the gym, I love looking at ways to try and improve myself and obviously the diet, it is 80 per cent diet and 20 per cent exercise. You are what you eat.
“You could go in there, have three or four spuds, no veg and chips as well if you wanted to but you’re always looking for that edge, trying to stay healthy. Before, you wouldn’t have known but now I know I have to keep the calories down, keep the carbohydrates then, it’s off-season now so you’re not going to be doing as much as in the summer time.
“There’s a different diet when you train, you need more carbohydrates for endurance. But at this time of the year, you’d be trying to cut back on the calories and carbohydrates because you’re not burning as much.”
JC: You can blame me for Paul Murphy’s calf nuts comment during the summer! I remarked to Paul that you looked even bigger physically this year. But on a wider scale, you obviously need an understanding employer to put the work in, and you seem to have that.
TJ: “Yeah, definitely. I’m a sales rep with Connolly’s Red Mills so I’m sitting in a jeep all day. I’m not going to go home and sit on a couch at night so I like getting my gear bag, going to the gym and seeing the areas where I can improve.
“This year, I toned up, my body fat dropped, my lean muscle mass went up but it’s hard work, it doesn’t happen overnight. The way it is now, when you come home from training, you can’t just throw your gear bag into the corner of the press and pick it up the next night you’re going.
“The next night you have to be in the gym, working on your speed, or your strength as well. I didn’t become big over a year, it probably took three or four years of conditioning and knowing the balance.
“Come the summer months then it’s more speed stuff and lighter weights, so you’re light on your feet rather than going to the gym and lifting as heavy as you can. At the end of the day, we’re not body-builders, we have to be agile and we have to have a balance as well.”
JC: Do you know when you’re getting unfit? Can you feel it?
TJ: “Back in January and February, you’d feel unfit! And it’s hard graft but I had three goals this year – everything was 100 per cent in my nutrition, fitness and conditioning.
“So I knew going out that I had those boxes ticked. I had my hurling then and I know myself that my hurling is up there so everything else looked after itself so when you’re running around Nowlan Park and doing the runs and you’re beating lads, you say to yourself ‘jeez, I’m fit’, and you’re going to the gym then and lifting your weights at 100 per cent as well, you know you’re fit.
“It’s a confidence thing as well. If you’re having doubts going into a game and saying to yourself ‘Jaysus, I should have done more’, you’re playing catch-up then. It’s hard work, there are nights in the gym on my own doing my stuff. Obviously that’s myself, there are plenty of other lads who go to the gym on their own…”
JC: But you’re not responsible for them, you’re responsible for yourself…
TJ: “I’m responsible for myself and that’s the way Brian is. Brian doesn’t tell anyone to go to the gym. It’s up to yourself and he trusts everyone to do it because we want to win and compete against the best and for that, you have to be at your best the whole time.
“There was a big push this year, even myself, people were talking about me being the new leader, Richie Hogan, Kieran Joyce, Paul Murphy. You’re saying to yourself ‘right, I have to step up’ so maybe that’s the reason I put in more effort this year because it was left over to the likes of us to win All-Irelands and be at your best.”
JC: So rather than ignoring that talk of leaders, you said ok, bring it on?
TJ: ”Oh definitely. You look forward to the challenge. The boys that retired, they won plenty of All-Irelands for us so for me, being on the field when that final whistle went, I said ‘yes’, I’ve done it for myself and for my team.
JC: That feeling at full-time on the first Sunday in September, Brian Cody lives for that. It’s unlike any feeling that you’ll have? It’s satisfaction, elation, everything?
TJ: “You could be in the dressing room after and you don’t have to say anything, that smile on your face…when that final whistle goes and you know you’ve put in all of that hard work, all those hard hours, that’s what makes winning All-Irelands so enjoyable.”
JC: You look into each other’s eyes and know your teammates went through the same thing, for this moment?
TJ: “That’s the pinnacle but we’re only doing our best, we love competing, getting ourselves ready for big games. We love playing at Croke Park, I think every player loves that, Dublin footballers do! That’s where you want to play every game.
“Obviously you have lads cutting the back off you and stuff like that, the media running you down as well, they all have a part to play in sport.”
JC: Does that stuff motivate you?
TJ: “It would. Before big games, we don’t read the papers…
JC: Do you get a feeling that people want you to fail, or fall?
TJ: ”I think a lot of counties don’t like Kilkenny…”
JC: Because you’re successful?
TJ: ”Maybe so, yeah. But then the die-hards love watching Kilkenny because of what we bring. We go out and hurl the ball, there’s no dirt. There’s no mouthing at the opposition, it’s ball on ball, you’re marking a man, I’m doing away with you today and that’s the way it is but the die-hards support Kilkenny because…it’s like Barcelona, they’re probably the best around. But for me, I love watching them because of what they bring.
“When they lose the ball, their work-rate off the ball to win it back is unbelievable. Their passing and what they bring is unbelievable but before games, maybe, if the management team picked up the paper and someone said this, or a certain point before a big game could be mentioned.
“It does help motivate the team, if these lads are saying this about us, and you try to prove them wrong. You do try to use every motivation that you can, try and build up that anger against a team.
“You mightn’t hate them at all but any team you play, you try and build up that anger against them. You might be best friends with some of them but you have to build up that anger against them.”
JC: What’s his (Cody’s) secret to staying so successful over a long period of time? He seems to keep ye at that same level, never too high, never too low. How does he keep himself motivated, given that he’s done it all?
TJ: “You may ask Brian that (smiles). He just loves it, basically. He loves the job of being the boss. He motivates you so well, and gets the best out of a lot of players.”
JC: How, though, TJ? With you, for example, you’re going into next year as Hurler of the Year, All-Ireland winner, Allstar. A lot of it has to come from yourself, obviously?
TJ: “Oh, 90 per cent of it comes from yourself. At the moment, I know I’m after doing two months myself in the gym. At the end of the day, I won Hurler of the Year but that one’s at home on the cabinet and I’m looking forward to next year.
“I think it’s the individual player that has to step up and be counted. I could go off the rails, socialising and this and that, but if you want to become that player, you won’t do that. When you get that award, you want to achieve bigger next year.
“Richie Hogan won it last year, he was fairly close to winning it again this year so you have to take a bit of advice off those players as well, and how do you keep going. Because it is hard, mentally, to keep it going and form might dip.
“He won’t bollock you in front of the dressing room but he will bring you aside. And he’ll give you confidence as well.
That’s what I’m saying about the last five years, fitness and conditioning is after going to the next level. But Brian motivates you brilliantly before games. He’s there a long time, he knows the secrets, when to say this, not to say this.
“The players represent themselves and the Kilkenny jersey. We know what it takes. Myself, I learned so much off the boys that are gone. They were the leaders and you looked up to them, watching how they trained. Back when I was starting, Henry stayed back after training, JJ, Tommy Walsh, pucking a ball.
“Henry taking frees and shooting points, Tommy out mad to puck. They’d have to be forced to get off the field. That passes down, that attitude in the gym, that attitude off the field, we learned so much from those lads. In the last two years, the likes of myself, Richie Hogan, Paul Murphy, Kieran Joyce, Mick Fennelly, Eoin Larkin, we’re after watching them to do it and it’s up to us to bring it now.
“Brian doesn’t have to tell us to go out on the field and puck the ball. We’re out on that field, it’s not just a handy puckaround. As soon as we cross those white lines in Nowlan Park, the ball is zipping the whole time. It’s a complete attitude – it’s the players that look after themselves and Brian is there to conduct the whole thing.”
JC: It’s a lifestyle, isn’t it? A way of life, a set of principles and values, like walking into the All Blacks, Barcelona or any elite set-up? You know the right way to behave and conduct yourself?
TJ: “You know you’re playing for Kilkenny and you’re very lucky that you are representing Kilkenny because there are so many great players out there that could be in there instead of you.
“It’s the place you want to be if you’re a young lad playing minor or Under-21, your next step is hoping you get a call from Brian Cody. As a young lad in Kilkenny, that’s where you wanted to be.
“You dreamt of playing for Kilkenny, playing in Croke Park. You don’t dream of winning All-Irelands and winning Hurler of the Year, that’s just bonuses but as a young lad growing up, you’d dream of playing with the likes of Henry, JJ, Tommy, you just wanted to be there.
“When you do get that chance, you’re just buzzing around the field because you’re here and this is why you’ve put in the hard graft.”
JC: I’ll put this to you, and I could be totally off the wall here, you seem very settled, calm, satisfied with where you are in your career. Has hurling matured you or have you matured naturally with age? Your 20s can be the time to enjoy yourself, too. I’m sure you do when the time is right? So, have you matured because of being a Kilkenny hurler of just naturally?
TJ: “Being an inter-county hurler does change your life. It changes the way people look at you, talk to you. People notice you so it does change you.
JC: Which is what people like. I’m sure you don’t have to look too far to find examples of the other way?
TJ: “Brian likes that and a lad stepping out of line will be told. It’s the job as well, you’re meeting people the whole time. You have a responsibility to look after yourself as well, you know you can’t be blackguarding or messing around because there’s so much in terms of snapchats and all this kind of stuff going around.
“You have to be minding yourself too. You have time to have down time, that’s the time to enjoy it. It’s about enjoying life as well. Hurling can bring a lot of enjoyment to you. You have great friends for life.
“Recently, we were in Berlin for Richie Power’s 30th party. So being on a county team, making friends like that, you have memories for life but you try and be yourself. I am being myself, this is me.”
JC: You haven’t changed a bit, TJ, testament to you, but I think you’ve settled a bit?
TJ: “If I heard a person saying that I’m cocky, I wouldn’t like it, I’d get upset over it because I’m not. I was a young lad who grew up on a farm and I love going home, getting out on the farm.
“That’s what I love doing. Other lads have their different social things to be doing but for me, it’s about being at home, on the farm, and being with my family.
JC: When you decide to socialise, do you like having a few of the Kilkenny lads with you, or your childhood mates? Some people might say that when you go out, the last thing you want to do is talk about hurling?
TJ: “Again, when the opportunity comes, when you’re playing with Kilkenny for a long period of time and being with the Kilkenny lads 8/9 months of the year, of course you love going back to the lads in the club because you haven’t seen them for the year.
“You love going for a few sociable drinks, meeting up in town or the local in Ballyhale, you love going down and meeting all of the older lads and having the craic with them as well. But there’ll always be a conversation about hurling…”
JC: You can’t get away from it!
TJ: “But that’s what we love doing, what we love talking about. You’d love slagging whoever’s beside you about missing something or being useless last year, and that kind of stuff!
“Bit of craic to it as well but it’s Christmas time as well now and we’re heading away to Thailand with the county boys so this is the time to have a bit of down time with the local Ballyhale boys.
“Come January, you’re back in with Kilkenny and you won’t be having a sociable drink with the club lads for a long time. But no, meeting your local boys for a few drinks is what brings you back down to earth.
“It’s the local boys that will bring you back down! I played the shinty game and I wasn’t very good at it! I was told that as well! That’s what you enjoy doing, meeting up with your friends.”
JC: You’ve been asked a couple of times since and you’ve been uncomfortable about it and I understand why. Henry said in his book that you were considering walking away (in 2012). Were you or was he exaggerating? Where were you at that time?
TJ: “I was, yeah, I was thinking about going. It was back when I was on and off the whole time. Maybe I thought myself that I should have been playing every game.
JC: That’s not a bad way to think though, either?
TJ: “Maybe looking back now, I wasn’t as consistent as I am now. I’d have my good game, next game taken off and then dropped and being annoyed. Every hurler would be annoyed and maybe I thought myself that Brian was being hard on me. Maybe I felt he didn’t like me, or whatever. I was only 24, I think.
“The family were supporting me as well. I spoke to Henry, a few words with Henry. I rang (former selector) Martin Fogarty as well and had a few words with Martin. I didn’t rush into it and I made the decision, right, I’ll give it one more go.
“Obviously I met Brian as well and maybe that was the turning point in my career. I sat down with Brian, he sat down with me, and we had it out. I told him how I felt. After that year, I’ve been up there with the best.
“Maybe having those words with Brian turned my career. But then again, I love hurling so much and you want to be there. It was hard to walk away but I decided this was what I loved doing and I’ll stick it out. I’m grateful that I am still here.
“I think in every sporting career, you have those moments and maybe I reacted in a way that I shouldn’t have but at the time, I thought I was right.
“Maybe it was the thing to do to sit with Brian and tell him how I felt. After that, we won the All-Ireland and I had a very good year that year for Kilkenny.”
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