LAST MONDAY MORNING Brian Carroll formally drew a line under his days as an Offaly hurler.
His senior championship days began in 2002 against Kilkenny and concluded last summer against Clare, yet his Offaly career stretches back to a Tony Forristal U14 debut two decades ago.
Retirement though won’t afford the opportunity to gaze at a treasure trove of medals. Carroll’s Offaly heritage was one of success.
His dad Pat was one of those who spearheaded Offaly’s hurling early rise in the 80’s before he passed away in 1986.
Brian grew up as a young fan whose hurling imagination was captured by an Offaly team that lifted Liam in 1994 and 1998.
The trouble was when it came to his own spell as a player, Offaly had regressed in the national hurling order.
In his school days, Brian Carroll hurled with future Kilkenny luminaries in St Kieran’s. But after Leaving Cert their paths diverged.
Between 2002 and 2015, Kilkenny’s trophy count reads All-Ireland (10), National League (8) and Leinster (11). Carroll didn’t manage to win any of those competitions, the closest he came was defeat in the 2004 Leinster decider.
His talent was not reflected in his medal count, a player commonly regarded as one of the best operating outside the elite counties. Yet he is not tormented by the lack of silver.
“Maybe that’s a defeatist attitude to some people but over time and maturity, I’ve come to realise that I couldn’t judge my career based on medals or else what would be the point of doing it?
“There’s a hell of a lot more to it than winning albeit that’s your ultimate goal.
“I got out of the game what I could and ultimately I got it back down to what it should be about, playing the game you love and being the best that you can be.
“I was very conscious of enjoying hurling with Offaly and realising the honour it is to be picked on your county team.”
That theme of enjoyment was one he honed in on in 2015. He was fairly convinced at the outset it would be his last season and that helped provide a release.
“I was going to leave no stone unturned to try to enjoy my year and get as much out of myself as I could.”
“For the last couple of years, I’ve made a conscious effort to try and enjoy my hurling. I was probably too hard on myself and put too much pressure on myself to perform and because of that my performances could have suffered.”
That said, he still tossed the idea of retirement around in his head over the winter a fair bit before finally settling on the decision to depart.
Hurling has consumed him and the demands of the sport he leaves are unrecognisable to those placed on him at the start.
“The levels have gone through the roof. You’re in a cocoon when you’re in a county setup now. You do whatever it takes, 24-7 it’s on your mind.
“You don’t really see what’s going on around you, you’re so immersed in it. That aspect of it has hugely changed.
“There’s no such thing as going for a pint, if you’re even seen in a pub now, it’s (a case of) ‘what are you doing out?’. You’re supposed to be living the life of a hurler.”
Can he see a tipping point on the horizon with the professional standards that are applied to an amateur game?
“I think the nature of sport and the nature of our games, you would think what more can players give?
“But managers will always try to get more and more out of their players.
“I don’t think you’ll see in the foreseeable future that players will revolt to the fact that they want to be remunerated or anything like that.
“It has become by and large a younger man’s game. A lot of people choose their careers now based on their ability to play inter-county hurling. It’s hard to know where it’s going to stop.”
His own county have fallen on hard times. When Carroll entered the Offaly dressing-room he was rubbing shoulders with heroes he had been cheering on from the terraces.
“I played with a lot of guys who won All-Ireland’s, legends for Offaly hurling, the likes of Brian Whelehan, Johnny Dooley, Hubert Rigney, Joe Errity. I learned a lot from those players.
“Offaly was probably in a much better place then than now, the mindset was there that we were one of the top counties.
“We wanted to stay there but unfortunately over time that has changed dramatically.”
He has an interesting theory pinpointing a reason behind the fall.
“I actually think we’ve lots of good hurlers in Offaly. I think what we really miss is probably our physical fitness.
“In Offaly the thinking is that the ball does the work. You watch club hurling, you watch traditional Offaly hurling, the ball does the work.
“But we haven’t been physically prepared for intercounty hurling the way we should be.
“That starts more so at underage level, we probably don’t have the athletes that other counties have. It’s very important to change that mindset.”
Ask him to pick a highlight and he goes right back to the start.
“It was actually the day I made my debut. Based on the fact that my dad played for Offaly, it was just a dream come true.
“I’d dreamed of that moment for a long, long time. Against Kilkenny that day to get a couple of scores as well because that’s what my job was.
“That sticks out as a really special day.”
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The biggest regret is simple to select.
“Probably the Leinster final of 2004. That was the game that got away from us. Damien Fitzhenry was just inspired in the goal, we probably let that game slip.
“If we’d won that Leinster final, it could have changed the landscape of where Offaly hurling went. We dropped dramatically after that.”
The reaction this week took Carroll by surprise. A bunch of celebrated Kilkenny hurlers sent well wishes as did his Offaly hurling heroes from the 80’s and 90’s.
“It’s hugely humbling and I suppose emotional as well. You just don’t expect that level of regard. The big thing for me was the respect of your peers was really heartwarming.
“It does ease the transition from intercounty hurling to normal life. A lot of guys got into contact with me. Joe Connolly even from Galway, he hurled against my dad in the 80’s.”
He won’t be throwing the hurley away for good. It’s almost four years since Coolderry were Leinster senior champions and contesting an All-Ireland final. Last October they reigned in Offaly again. It’s a club brimming with enthusiasm.
“I can’t wait to get back training in Coolderry to be honest. We’re lucky we’ve a successful club, we’re always trying to get the best out of ourselves.
“I’m looking forward to going back to enjoying my hurling because inter-county hurling is very pressurised.”
Load of twaddle if he is so good play him more. Total lip service
@Seanie Bourke: it’s called man management ya cl0wn
@Paul Jennings: it’s not man management. he gets game time here and there because In klopps eyes the other 4 are better then him. he has scored some v important goals for Liverpool but will eventually get fed up and will want more active game time and move on.
@Macca1986: precisely the definition of man management, he gets used when needed because there are better players ahead of him. But he gets credit when he gets in and delivers, so he stays and is a useful squad member when called upon….
@Macca1986: it’s total man management he is needed as back up so when he playes well u praise in to keep him happy all managers do it
@Paul Jennings: hate to say it but Ur the c!own,big time
@Paul Jennings: no bucko it not . He comes out and says” im shocked no one came in for him in d summer’ thats as good as saying he can go. But in the other breath he is coming out about his next manager total cr ap very much like your comment to me
@Seanie Bourke: That’s not man management. He is encouraging him to go by saying he needs to get more game time. Klopp is clearly desperate to sell him
@Seanie Bourke: it’s OK for us to comment that’s why klopp is the manager and a good 1 at that too
@Seanie Bourke: it’s the truth. Origi isn’t as good as the other 4 so doesn’t play that often. Klopp is showing respect by saying he deserves to play more in general… It just won’t be at Liverpool.
@Paul Jennings: No, it’s called ” talking out of the two sides of his mouth”. B…….t talk.
@Mickety Dee: Everton will buy him for £50million, and that will be the last we hear of him…
This is Divock Origi’s World and we’re just living in it
He’s welcome at Elland Road at any stage, quality player.
Another runners-up medal for the lad before he leaves. 7 minutes they spent on top and yet they think its May
@Graham Ryall: yes another runners up medal to add to the prem league one, the champs league one, the super cup one and the fifa World Cup ones that he won with LFC. Sorry those ones aren’t runners up ones. Not a bad haul at LFC. And you are right the seasons far from over but if you think LFC aren’t contenders then maybe stick a few quid on Newcastle to top the prem league come end of season! Money for jam son.
@Graham Ryall: only a United w@nk would say thay
@Graham Ryall: Man u supporter I guess
@Graham Ryall: what a t00ser!go and get an education
@Graham Ryall: your whinging and tears bring me joy. Understandable though, given that we cleared out your own stadium for yas. Lol.
Hes another Solksjaer only not as good and he(Ole) was quite happy being a squad player…
If you’re picking up handy money and winning Medals then you’re more than likely going to stay put.. Origi is exactly that
@Darren: bit of a premature comparison
@Johnny Mads: how he’s hardly anywhere near Oles level now??
@Johnny Mads: it’s a fine comparison in terms of their value to a team. Impact subs. Very important CL goals. I don’t think Ole get half the plaudits he gets from utd fans without the 99 final. Divock had a very similar season in CL.
@Darren: I’d say it’s a safe bet that Origi is a better manager than Ole!
@Max Bailey: bit of a premature comparison there, Ole done what he had to do and steadied the Ship, just like some relationships it ran its course. Origi is almost a super sub but he’s a bit to go yet to get near Oles level for scoring goals off the Bench and just like Ole makes very little difference when he actually starts a game..
That is some statement from that Manager — talking out of both sides of his mouth . ” one of the best strikers I ever seen”" — but he cannot get into the team, only now and again. What kind of nonsense is he talking???.
@Eugene Comaskey: What Klopp actually said was he’s one of the best ‘finishers’ not ‘striker’…two very different things. And Origi can’t get into the team because there’s four of the best strikers in the world ahead of him, pretty simple really.