A year away from the inter county scene in 2019 did Waterford hurler Jake Dillon the power of good. The joy went out of the game for the De La Salle man after six seasons on the senior panel. He needed a breather.
"I did a bit of travelling. I was on the panel for six or seven years at that stage and I just felt I wanted a break. I wasn't really enjoying it to be honest with you. I took the year out, went to America, went on a good holiday and enjoyed the summer. I went back to the club. It was nice to go back to the club that year, back training with the lads, which I wouldn't have ever done before, for the winter with your close friends and that. When Liam Cahill came in, I got the phone call to see if I would be interested. With Waterford, you'll only be here for a few years so I was keen to get back involved. It's a short period I suppose and with Covid in the last year or so and it's something I enjoy doing. Before, when you're younger, you take it for granted a small bit I think. There was a realisation that it's a short period of time, a short window, your inter county career. I was delighted to get back in and delighted to still be here to be honest with you."
Dublin footballers Jack McCaffrey and Paul Mannion have also taken a break to recharge the batteries. "There's a life outside of hurling. I never went on a J1 or anything like that, it was always hurling, hurling, hurling. It was nice for the year. It's a high pressure environment that you're in here every summer and you want to be the best you can be. The one thing I'd say about the Dublin lads is that they have plenty of All Irelands! We're not like that yet. Look, it was my own personal thing. I had my mind made up in 2018 during the year that I was going to do it, the lads close to me would have known. I just wanted a break from it to be honest with you. It's a hard environment to be in if you're not enjoying it. To be true to myself, I took a year out and it's probably something that did me the world of good."
Listen back to the full interview with Jake Dillon from Friday's Lár Na Páirce.
https://www.spreaker.com/user/wlrfm/jakedillonkieranbennett2021
