Brian O'Halloran made a dream championship debut in the 2010 Munster final replay win over Cork at Semple Stadium.
Just a year after winning a provincial title at minor level, he was fast tracked to the Déise squad and became the first Clashmore man to win a Munster senior medal.
“It was like something out of a fairytale the fact it happened two or three weeks from when I started on the panel. I did my Leaving Cert in June that year. I hadn’t been on the panel because of the Leaving and Davy was good enough to take a chance on me after the Leaving and bring me in. I thought I was coming in to carry water for the year and get an insight into the inter county structure so I was shocked to be sprung from the bench in the replay.”
Earlier that season, O’Halloran turned down an inter county call-up from Davy Fitzgerald. “Davy rang me early in 2010 when they were going back training at Christmas time. I was keen to do a good Leaving and I knew going on an inter county panel wouldn’t be the best thing to do. I apologised to Davy; it was always a dream to play with the Waterford seniors and to refuse it seems mad but I was hopeful that I would get a chance in the future. I thought that was it for the year to be honest. I thought Davy might give me a call in 2011 or something like that. I couldn’t believe it in June when he rang near the end of the Leaving Cert. I was shocked that he was still thinking of me.”
The number 27 scored a point within a minute of his introduction. “I should have retired there and then! Clinton pumped a big, high ball down and it just fell lovely for me and I couldn’t really miss. It was a dream start.”
Less than 24 hours after winning a Munster title, Brian was back to the bread and butter with his club on Sunday afternoon. "I actually had an intermediate championship game the next day! We played Abbeyside in the intermediate championship. Nobody, from either team, expected to be playing in that Munster final. I wasn’t expected to come on. Look, there was no issue made of it. I had only played about twenty minutes the night before. I went out with the lads and celebrated to be honest. It wasn't going to affect me the next day, I was on a high anyway. We had a great night back in Dungarvan. It didn't feel any way abnormal. The Clashmore lads were delighted that I was there and in a shape to play the game. Thinking back, if you heard of a fella playing a club championship the day after an inter county championship game now, you'd be mad!"
Listen back to the full interview with Brian O'Halloran from Lár Na Páirce Hurling In The Years with thanks to PWC Waterford.
https://www.spreaker.com/user/wlrfm/brianohalloranpart1mp3_1
