As the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship draws near, Galway hurler Cianan Fahy is gearing up for what promises to be an exciting and challenging campaign.
Speaking with KCLR Sport, Fahy spoke about the privilege of representing his county, recent management changes and his thoughts on the upcoming clash with Kilkenny.
Fahy shared his great sense of pride in representing his county and highlighted the special significance of getting to play alongside his younger brother, Darach Fahy.
“It’s a great honour for me, my family and my club. To have a brother there with me alongside is a real privilege and something that doesn’t go unnoticed by me. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to represent my county.”
Growing up in a household where sport was a central focus, Fahy recalls how hurling was always part of his life, but never something he was pushed into.
“Predominantly hurling, never forced upon us or anything like that. There were three of us in it, I’m the oldest of the three. We were always out the back, whether that was hurling, a bit of rugby, or soccer, but it was always nearly hurling.”
Following Henry Shefflin’s departure as senior manager after three seasons in charge, Micheál Donoghue was reappointed, the man who had led them to All-Ireland glory seven years ago.
Fahy reflected on the change, highlighting the connections many players have built with Donoghue over the years.
“A lot of us would have worked with him before, whether that was at senior level or U21 level. Those connections are there and always will be there, so right now it’s just about trying to strengthen those connections again and maintain a high standard with each other.”
The Galway hurler took some time to look back on his side’s mixed performance in the League earlier this year. While it had its share of challenges, he acknowledged the valuable lessons learned.
“When you look back and reflect on it, it was probably an up-and-down campaign. Some positives, but a lot of learnings, so we’ve just been trying to bring them into play over the last few weeks of training and trying to bring them into the Championship now.”
Looking ahead to their first-round clash with Kilkenny in the Leinster Championship, Fahy knows what to expect from the Cats, particularly when playing at UPMC Nowlan Park.
“We always know the challenge that we’re going to face when we come down here. It’s going to be a hard-fought match. No matter where you play Kilkenny, it’s always going to be a tough game, but especially in their own backyard. It’s a great way to start off the Championship.”
Galway will kick off their Leinster Championship campaign against Kilkenny on April 19 at UPMC Nowlan Park and you can catch all the action live on KCLR.
Article by Hannah Sharpe
