Kilkenny captain John Donnelly spoke to KCLR Sport ahead of their upcoming Leinster Championship campaign, offering an insight into his role as captain, the pressure of wearing the black-and-amber jersey and his passion for the game.
At 27 years old, Donnelly has become a central figure in Kilkenny hurling, and as captain, he opened up about the responsibility of leading his team and the importance of guiding younger players.
“Honoured to do it, and I’m very much aware of how important the role is. The biggest thing is just leading in the best way you can, and the best way to do that is to just be yourself.”
“I am 27 now, I have a good bit of experience behind me, and it is about looking out for the younger players. Can you advise them in any way, can you help them in any way, on the pitch and off the pitch”
Donnelly reflected on the responsibility of being an inter-county hurler, recognizing the pressure that comes with the role, but also expressing gratitude for the opportunity of representing his county.
“There’s definitely pressure there, but that’s what you want. I’m doing this because I want to do it. There are loads of hurlers in the country who would kill to do it. I’m blessed to be here, really, that’s the big thing.”
The Kilkenny captain opened up about his recovery from an injury that kept him out of action for several months, highlighting how his recent match appearances helped him to ease any lingering doubts.
“I had an operation on my thumb at the beginning of December, so I was out for the guts of three months without picking up a hurl. I feel good now, I feel healthy, and thankfully I got the Tipp match and the Limerick match into me just to get any kind of anxiety out of my system.”
The team’s return to training at UPMC Nolan Park marks the beginning of Kilkenny’s final push toward the Leinster Championship and Donnelly is fully focused on the challenges ahead.
“Even though Championship is always in the back of your mind, I always feel like when we get back in here, it’s like Championship is starting now. Just prepare now for two weeks as best we can for Galway, and then we have Antrim a week later, so it’s going to be a busy few weeks.”
Finally, Donnelly took a moment to reflect on a memory that shaped his love for the game and county, recalling Kilkenny’s unforgettable 2011 All-Ireland final.
“From what I remember, Kilkenny were really raw for that final. I remember we were up in Cusack that day, and just the atmosphere. They were written off, Tipp were the favourites, and then Kilkenny just came out and put in a performance as if to say, ‘We don’t care who ye are,’ and that’s what Kilkenny hurling is all about.”
Kilkenny will kick off their Leinster Championship campaign against Galway on April 19 at UPMC Nolan Park, and you can catch all the action live on KCLR.
Article by Hannah Sharpe
