hurling

Eoin Cody honoured to answer Ireland's call

16 October 2024 - 10:14AM

In attendance during the Shinty Hurling International 2024 launch at Croke Park in Dublin is Ireland player Eoin Cody with the Mowi Shinty / Hurling International Quaich. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

By John Harrinton

It’s the morning after Ballyhale Shamrocks were knocked out of the Kikenny club championship by Thomastown when Eoin Cody’s phone buzzes.

It’s an unknown number and he’s tempted not to answer it because understandably enough he’s not in the best form after what transpired the day before.

After letting it ring for a while he eventually answers the call and is glad he does. It’s Ireland hurling team joint-manager, Michael Kavanagh, inviting him to join the panel for the Hurling-Shinty International against Scotland on Saturday, October 26.

Cody might have been forgiven for wanting a rest after a long and ultimately disappointing year with club and county, but he didn’t hesitate to make himself available for selection.

“As soon as Mick asked me, it was that chance of representing Ireland,” says Cody. “Especially after watching the Olympics. You’re thinking about how great it is for those athletes to go out and represent Ireland, how much it means for an individual to represent their country – it’s very special. For us to get the opportunity now…I can’t wait to do it.

“Even since I’ve been selected to be on the panel, I’ve talked to the likes of TJ, Richie Hogan, and they’ve all said how much they enjoyed it. Even Henry himself, I was chatting to Henry during the week, he was telling me about his experience. It’s one of them things you can always say you did in the future.

“Even putting on the jersey here for the launch, it's a deadly jersey to have for training and stuff for the next while. Just to be able to say you represented Ireland, it's unreal. It's a privilege to play for your country. It's not something you get to do every day, especially as a hurler. I'm really looking forward to it.”

Outfield players aren’t allowed to catch the ball in the Hurling-Shinty hybrid code so the ability to control the ball on your hurley and strike it on the double are valuable skills.

That being the case, you’d wonder whether the spectacular goal that Cody scored against Clare in the All-Ireland SHC semi-final this year had something to do with his call up to the Irish panel.

“I don’t know what I was picked on, I haven’t asked Mick that yet,” says Cody.

“To be honest it (the goal) was the worst thing I ever did, because the disappointment the weeks after the game, everyone was coming up saying stuff about the goal. It was the last thing you kind of wanted to hear.

“I didn’t do too much else in the match. If I could go back in time I nearly wouldn't have scored it at all.”

Eoin Cody of Kilkenny scores his side's first goal during the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship semi-final match between Kilkenny and Clare at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Daire Brennan/Sportsfile

15 weeks have passed since Kilkenny’s two-point defeat to Clare in the All-Ireland SHC semi-final but the wound is still raw for Cody.

“Yeah, absolutely,” he says. “You're obviously growing up watching Kilkenny winning All-Ireland after All-Ireland and it makes you feel like, yeah, when you wear the jersey that's what you're going to do as well.

“Unfortunately it hasn't been that way for us. But, look, we're not far off. A puck of a ball in the game this year and we could have been in an All-Ireland Final. In fairness to Clare they're All-Ireland champions now and well-deserved.

“I suppose you set out to win an All-Ireland at the start of every year and unfortunately we haven't in a long time now. It's my personal goal and the team's. For me, I've never won one like so many people now on the team at this stage and we all just want to win one so bad.

“Maybe if we just start focusing on game to game and not on the end goal it might be a different thing. In Kilkenny we just all want to win one so badly so maybe that could be the reason we haven't maybe gotten there. The hunger is definitely there, that's one thing for sure.”

In attendance during the Shinty Hurling International 2024 launch at Croke Park in Dublin are, from left, Joint Ireland manager Michael Kavanagh, Joint Ireland manager Terence McNaughton, Ireland player Eoin Cody, Ireland captain Enda Rowland, Scotland player Craig Morrison and Scotland manager Gary Reid. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile.

For now Cody is totally focused on doing all he can to help Ireland to victory over Scotland in Cusack Park on Oct 26.

He and Kilkenny team-mate, Martin Keoghan, met the rest of the panel for a training session last weekend and enjoyed getting to grips with the compromise code for the first time.

“It’s such a small panel of 20 you knew everyone fairly lively,” says Cody. “Then we went out on the pitch and everybody was ready to go and put in an honest days effort and there was a lot of talk, and a lot of lads trying to get familiar with the game, and lads with experience were passing on their experience to players.

“It was really enjoyable and all about getting used to not putting the ball in your hand and getting a good strike, whether it be on the ground or one touch hitting it, or even a flick pass to a lad running onto you.

“It was just about making the right decisions. When you can catch the ball I suppose it’s easier to hang onto possession and stuff. It’s about decision making knowing the person you are giving the ball to isn’t able to catch it.

“We trained for an hour and a half and it was non-stop. There was no messing in training. Lads had the head down and they wanted to get ready for the game.

“We don’t want to go up and embarrass ourselves either. You are representing yourself, your family, your club and your county and now you are representing your country as well, which is pretty special.

“And I suppose do ourselves proud for anyone watching and for ourselves really on the team and the management.”

The Hurling/ Shinty international featuring Ireland against Scotland is on Saturday, October 26 at 3.30pm in Cusack Park in Ennis. The game will be shown live on the official TG4 YouTube channel.

Hurling Shinty International - Ireland Senior Team:

Enda Rowland, Abbeyleix – Laois

Luca McCusker, Lisbellaw St. Patrick's - Fermanagh

Eoghan Cahill, Birr - Offaly

Caolan Taggart, Portaferry – Down

Eoin Cody, Ballyhale Shamrocks - Kilkenny

Ben Conneely, St Rynagh's - Offaly

Steven McBride, Setanta - Donegal

Cian Darcy, Kilruane MacDonagh's - Longford

Cianan Fahy, Ardrahan - Galway

Martin Keoghan, Tullaroan - Kilkenny

Tomás Keyes, Camross - Laois