My Life: Laois' Eoin Reilly
August 01, 2013
Laois goalkeeper Eoin Reilly ©INPHO/Cathal Noonan
The long puck has been a trademark feature of hurling over the years and for as long has he can remember the Abbeyleix man has been pucking the ball around the backyard at home, dreaming of success.
"It is great to see so many different aspects to the GAA, that it is not just about going out and playing a game of hurling and that there are different ways of competing," he told Hoganstand.com
"Unfortunately being from Laois I might not get a chance to compete in an All-Ireland Final, but now thank God I have a chance. The same with the Shinty you get a chance to play with lads from other counties that you might not have got a chance to play with.
"I've played with some top-quality hurlers like Tommy Walsh, Michael Rice and Brendan Maher. There were lads from other counties like Wicklow and Meath, Westmeath and others that might not have such a big name. It's what the GAA is built on - no matter who you are and where you are from you get a chance to compete at the top level and that's all I ever wanted."
Laois hurling has experienced its lean years but is certainly on the up after Seamus Plunkett took over the reins and he has dramatically brought a change of fortune.
"It's great to see in Laois the support we had this year and I would love to thank every supporter that came to the Antrim, Carlow, Clare and especially the Galway game.
"It was just an experience this year to play in front of such a fantastic Laois crowd. They really got behind us, even when you thought things weren't going so well. I would personally like to thank every Laois person - they were shouting, cheering and roaring for us in those matches and it really did help.
"The feeling in that Galway match, getting a standing ovation at half-time was just absolutely phenomenal and I'll never forget that as long as I live."
It's a cliche that in order to reap rewards the seeds must be sown and that Laois did - a major investment of time and energy into an underage programme by current GAA President Liam O'Neill in 2003 called - 'Hurling for Laois' was followed on by current Minor manager Pat Critchley taking the mantle.
"It just goes to show that if you keep working to a programme and you keep at it - you can achieve things in life. The Leinster Poc Fada was a great event for me to win and I put in so much hard work for it.
"The whole Laois Hurling team this year also put in a huge amount of work and people may or may not have known what was going on in the background. Hurling is such a huge commitment nowadays and too be honest I wouldn't have it any other way. It is just the way it has to be.
"When you have a back room team in place and a bunch of hurlers that want to hurl for Laois the possibilities are endless.
"We started on the 4th of January and we had a meeting. Every player just put the head down and stuck to it. There were times there where we ran around the hill in Borris-Kilcotton at 8 in the morning and I just asked myself ' 'what am I doing here?', but I said 'this is what the love of the GAA is!'"
"You do these things to try and compete and just try and win. I would try and go through a brick wall in order to do it all again next year. Laois hurling is on the rise, and it's absolutely amazing to be a part of it. I can't wait to get going next year again!"
Laois made an exit from the Championship to Clare just a week before the Reilly's Poc Fada provincial success. He says not having Laois training and games left him with a major void.
"I actually didn't know what to do with myself and I was twiddling my thumbs for most of the days. I miss it already and I can't wait to get back next year under Cheddar Plunkett and get back up on the horse and go again."
Perhaps signs of what was to come this Summer were seen 12 months ago, as the Laois Under 21's broke over a 20-year gap since their last provincial final appearance when they faced Kilkenny on home turf.
The Minors in 2013 under Critchley made their way to a Leinster final, and again the Kittens proved sticky, but Laois rocked Galway in last Sunday's quarter-final, before the Tribesmen ultimately progressed.
One of the team, Enda Rowland was Reilly's partner in the 2012 Leinster Poc Fada, and Rowland who served as Minor goalkeeper, was also Reilly's understudy for Laois in the Senior Championship this year.
"Myself and Eoin get on well. He's one of the best around. He'll be there or thereabouts for the Poc Fada and hopefully he does it for Laois and himself," Rowland said.
Reilly takes to the Annaverna Mountain for the second time for the M. Donnelly All-Ireland Poc Fada this Saturday, having won the Leinster title on the roads of St. Mullins in Carlow almost three weeks ago.
It was tough for the Laois custodian, against rising Offaly star Cillian Kiely, with the Kilcormac-Killoughey clubman finishing the course with one shot extra, after his second last shot to equal Reilly's tally finished within yards of the finish line.
"I was delighted to win the Leinster title. It was my second time to win it. I came second last year and it was an honour to pick up the Ollie Walsh Memorial Trophy from Michael Walsh having known him so well from the Shinty," Reilly said.
Reilly having featured for Ireland at both Senior and Under 21 levels in recent years in the Hurling-Shinty Internationals, with Walsh serving as joint manager alongside Cork native and current Carlow manager John Meyler.
There's been a huge drive to promote the Poc Fada in all counties and provinces in 'Areas of Scenic Beauty' over the past two years, and while there is no doubting St. Mullins credentials in this regard, spectators and competitors alike were left wondering as to why Mount Leinster wasn't used, with the competitors pucking the ball around a 5km road course in its shadows.
"On the road I didn't hit one ball over the height of the crossbar, and when we were in the Curragh two years ago I didn't hit one ball under the height of the top of the posts.
"The road is different. It's something that needs to be looked into. In Carlow it was just about controlling the shot and planning your way around the course.
"Personally I would love to see the Leinster final back in the Curragh, but that's not taking away from this event at all. I was thrilled to win it and it's a credit to St. Mullins to host the competition so well.
"It was hard to practice and no two roads are the same. I was lucky enough that my marker, a local clubman from St. Mullins was able to tell me where to go. Knowing where you are going and how you are going to get there are two different things. I got lucky with some shots. Everyone gets lucky with some shots and other times not so lucky - the ditch just seems to eat up sliothars out there
That man was Kevin Kehoe, a local with whom Eoin playing hurling with in St. Pat's during his college days.
"He is a good friend of mine and I hadn't seen him in a year or two, but he was very, very helpful to me around the course, and everyone in St. Mullins also. It's basically what the GAA is built on. Even if you are outside your own county you basically feel at home, because everyone is just in the same boat as you.
"They like competing and they like just promoting the game of hurling and if the game isn't promoted in counties like Laois and Carlow, then it will die away. Thank God it is back on the rising and it is just excellent to be a part of a traditional event." Tweet
