Former Dublin player Declan Darcy tells GAVIN CUMMISKEYwhy he thinks under-21 stand-out Ciarán Kilkenny is not necessarily Australia bound
CIARÁN KILKENNY is the name ringing out around Dublin GAA circles but the Irish sporting consciousness may release him very quickly if the Carlton Blues have their way.
Or maybe not. A few months back Kilkenny’s prodigious dual talents at minor level seemed destined to have him whisked off to Australia as a professional contract was drawn up.
Declan Darcy, a wonderful young talent himself in the late 1980s with Leitrim, then his native Dublin, having until recently been part of the under-21 management, doesn’t see Kilkenny’s supposedly imminent departure as a fait accompli.
“Well, that’s a big decision for him but I’m not too sure it’s guaranteed that he will go,” said Darcy. “I think it might be a case of there’s a lot of things he has to evaluate, personality-wise. For instance, has he got the personality to go over to Australia and live the life and play Aussie Rules? I’m not too sure. I wouldn’t say it’s a done deal. I’m sure Pat (Gilroy) will be very much in the mode of trying to keep him as much as he can.”
The boy king has the Leaving Certificate to contend with for now, so the Dublin age grades continue to profit from his presence.
Those of you yet to see Kilkenny caress a football get ye down to Portlaoise tomorrow afternoon. We are promised a sizzling affair as the dominant forces in under-21 football collide.
It’s Cork versus Dublin, the 2009 All-Ireland champions facing the 2010 winners, and Kilkenny will to top the brilliant 1-6 he posted in the Leinster final dismissal of Louth.
Darcy touched on what may well keep Kilkenny within the GAA family: instant promotion. Darcy believes Kilkenny, along with three others, can make the leap to the Dublin senior panel before this summer’s championship begins.
“Oh, yes, and I think Emmet (Ó Conghaile) in the middle of the field and Jack (McCaffrey, at wing back) definitely. I’ll not be surprised if those guys get drafted along with Gary Sweeney up to the senior panel this year. They have a great attitude. Whether they’re physically able to compete at senior level . . . but their attitude and application is of senior standard, there’s no question about that.”
Kilkenny’s physicality will not be a hindrance.
“If I was a betting man I’d say he has a role to play in the championship this year,” Darcy continued. “I would feel he has that ability. He has that calmness and application. Particularly on big-game days he performs. If you see him in training you probably can’t, you know ... Jeez, he’s not really going that hard but when the game comes, he plays at his highest level. A two-footed player like him with that strength and physique, he can’t be ignored.”
Reporters naturally try to convey Kilkenny’s skill by comparing him to others. There were shades of Ciarán McDonald in his kick passing and shaping against Louth. Yet in so many ways, especially his handling, this here’s a unique specimen.
“I’d put him more in the mould of Conal Keaney, big, strong well-balanced kid, probably a bit more skill to him than Conal, being able to play off left and right foot.
“At senior level they’d be putting him out at corner forward. He’s going to need minding. Physically he can look after himself and he can win his own ball and he can kick left or right so I think he has great potential.
“The great thing about it is the under-21s are giving him the opportunity to perform at a slightly higher level than minor so now he has shown himself to be that little bit better than minor, and can present himself now for senior.
“Dublin need to concentrate on that now because if they’re going to continue to fuel this great team they have they need to nourish these young talents coming through.”
