ASK TONY KELLY TO sum up the Clare All Ireland winning celebrations since they beat Cork in the decider, and it puts him in mind of a gruelling pre-season.
Perhaps it’s an age thing. He’s over 30 now. But on the night they beat Cork to win the Liam MacCarthy, he was safely tucked up in the cot before 2am. Maybe he was resting up for the carnage to follow.
“You appreciate it a lot more,” he said in an interview marking his Hurler of the Month Award for July.
“In 2013, we were coming with underage success and thinking that, ‘This is what is supposed to happen.’
“Then you go from 2013 to 2024 without an All Ireland, it makes you appreciate it more.”
He continues, “In terms of the celebrations… On that Sunday night, we were just so, so knackered. So tired. There wasn’t too much chit chat going on or dancing around.
“I was in bed by quarter to two, I was just absolutely shattered.
“Monday then, we had lethal craic on the Monday. We got the bus and stopped at Wolfe Tones in Shannon, to Brian’s club and he got carried into the bar that day. We had a great reception and then we were up to the Fair Green (in Ennis) and there were thousands there.”
With Ballyea, it was personal. This was their captain, bringing home the biggest prize. He was joined by Paul Flanagan on the panel, himself picking up a second All Ireland, with his wedding a fortnight away.
“It was a bit extra special for myself, being captain,” says Kelly.
“Myself and Paul have had an unbelievable time over the last ten years winning championships, Munster titles. It’s been exceptional.
“Then we went out west, we went to Lahinch, and back in east to Clonlara and Ennis. We tried to hit as many clubs and establishments as we could.
“We had Paul’s wedding then a couple of weeks after it so lucky for him it wasn’t a replay or he would have been under savage pressure.
“It was a tough couple of weeks now! Tougher than any other pre-season you would do. And lads were shattered after it.”
In the meantime, the club championship has resumed in the banner county. Ballyhea were beaten by Clonlara last week but the show goes on.
For now though, there is still some basking to be done on their achievement.
One thing that stood out after the two All Ireland finals was that neither champions have anyone on the team with a provincial medal.
It’s hardly the sign of things to come, given how sought after the Ulster football and Munster hurling championships are. But it’s a strong sign that teams are instantly and effectively switching their focus from a provincial defeat to targeting the big one.
“It doesn’t matter, in season. You don’t have the time to dwell on it and you are into a championship,” explains Kelly.
“The thing is, Ulster football and Munster hurling is probably the two most competitive pieces of silverware too. Every game is hotly contested.
“We didn’t play well in the Munster final this year and didn’t deserve to win a Munster final. We had something then to go after. After the Munster final, Brian gave us the week off, which he hadn’t the previous two years.
“So we had time to go away and reflect on what we did do well, what we didn’t do well. Individually and collectively and came back in for the Saturday morning and we were getting ourselves set for championship that week physically and mentally.
“It almost was a completely separate championship as we used to come in on the Tuesday nights after losing the last two finals, not having played so well. So we knew we had to up it a level. We knew there were areas we had to improve and go after.”
A decade older, Kelly was the captain and leader and armed with the knowledge that when opportunity knocks, you have to be able to grab your chance. He did so with his own personal performance. Shane O’Donnell said afterwards that once he’s in that mood, you have to feed him ball and get out of his road.
There are moments in sport that bring time grinding to a halt, that bring us back to the very second we fell in love with the game.
— The GAA (@officialgaa) August 15, 2024
Your @PwCIreland GAA/GPA HOTM on the biggest canvas of all, weaving his way through the red lines, flicking to the guarded net - Tony Kelly. 👏 pic.twitter.com/g1PEK0oZ18
He admits now that he cherishes this feeling.
“When you won the All Ireland in 2013, you had won at underage and you think it’s simple, that you will go on to win another couple more at seniors,” Kelly says.
“But then as you get more experience, you learn that that just doesn’t happen. You have to take each year as it comes.
“Which is why it’s so admirable with Limerick the last few years. To do four in a row, you look at them and you have savage respect for the work and the time that goes into it. The performance levels and the ability to do that collectively…
“So yeah, you have more of an appreciation for the game and winning.”
It’s a hard statistic to consider now, but after winning the Liam MacCarthy in 2013, Clare went five seasons without ever throwing their kitbags into Croke Park. They slunk away.
But despite those years, Kelly never gave up hope that some day, they would be good enough again.
“I think you have to believe you can compete and get to the business end of the championship, from the start of the year,” he says.
“Now, whether it works out for one reason or another, that’s what happens because every year happens and there’s no guarantees.
“But we have been fortunate the last few years to be knocking around Munster finals and getting to Croke Park.
“From 2013 to 2018 we hadn’t been back. We didn’t click well enough, we didn’t have enough lads playing well enough. Beaten by a better team in Galway in 2017, Tipperary as well.
“So yeah, you have to believe that if you have enough lads playing well on a championship day, that you can win big games and get to the business end of the championship.”
