by Cliona Foley

Leaving his native Abbeydorney club to join Dublin club Cuala this year was not a decision that Darragh O'Connell took lightly but, despite some heavy soul-searching, it has really paid off.

Not only did the Southsiders win their first county SHC title in 21 years but they have gone on to knock out the Offaly and Kilkenny champions and now face Oulart The Ballagh in Sunday's AIB Leinster SHC final in Carlow (2.0).

"I certainly didn't think this time last year I'd be sitting here talking about a Leinster club final," said the former Kerry hurler who also threw his lot in with Dublin this year after travelling up and down to The Kingdom for four years for club and county training.

"I was on my own in the car and it was three and a half hours each way," the 24-year-old primary teacher said. "I don't think the travelling would have been as bad if I'd had company but eventually it just became too much."

O'Connell has been teaching in Gaelscoil na gCloch Liath in Greysones for the past four years and when he wasn't on the road to Kerry had been keeping his hand in by training with Cuala anyway so it was a natural fit.

"I  got on well with the lads, enjoyed the camaraderie from the beginning," he said. "They're a tight knit group, and it's enjoyable.

"When I transferred to Cuala my sole aim was to make their 15 for the championship. Then Ger Cunningham (Dublin manager) gave me a call around the end of April."

He was surprised to start for Dublin against Galway in the championship but has been showing why this Autumn, starring in midfield for a Dalkey team that features Dublin senior stars like Mark Schutte, David Treacy, Cian O'Callaghan and Oisin Gough.

A former Christy Ring winner with Kerry, O'Connell has been a huge asset to the Dublin champions but admits he was intimidated initially when he stepped into the set-up.

"I probably worked harder than usual to prove myself," he admitted. "I think once you get in and show you can do it it's not a problem.

"No matter where you go you are always going to get one or two jokes about being from Kerry and playing hurling but I am well used to it at this stage.

"The thing is North Kerry, and pockets of South Kerry, there are absolutely fantastic hurlers there.

"You are surrounded by counties winning All Irelands in the past couple of years so it's always difficult.

"You are probably playing a level above yourself all the time but that's the only way you are going to improve."

He believes there are a lot of hurlers at Ring Cup level that could similarly make the step up to Liam MacCarthy like himself.

"I've got to play Shinty for Ireland and you get to play hurling with lads from Westmeath and Carlow, what they call 'second tier' counties. There's hurlers all over the place," he notes. "There's hurlers from Kerry who are able to make the step up. I just think it's very difficult to bring it all together though.

This weekend he will play a vital role for the Dalkey club hoping to make history as only one Dublin club - Crumlin in 1979 - have ever won the Leinster club title.

But he alway believes he is still representing hurling underdogs.

"Even after we won the Dublin final I got plenty of messages of congratulations from home," O'Connell said. "I was born and bred  in Kerry so a certain part of me still feels like I'm representing them too."

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