Colin Fennelly more relaxed as Ballyhale takes sole focus

When Colin Fennelly announced he was definitely stepping away from inter-county hurling with Kilkenny last year, his wording was unequivocal.

The four-time All-Ireland winner, who had sat out the 2021 campaign, put it succintly in November: "I have had enough."

But given that the 32-year-old remains a key cog in the Ballyhale Shamrocks machine, there's been no hibernation.

Indeed, the heavily-decorated full-forward is going for a sixth AIB All-Ireland club hurling winner's medal - and a three-in-a-row - when he and his team-mates take on Waterford's Ballygunner at Croke Park on Saturday.

But given the decision to step away from inter-county, Fennelly has been benefiting physically from no longer having a twin focus.

"It's a lot more relaxed. I think with county, you're a lot more conscious. We do the same amount of training and the same amount of gym with both Ballyhale and Kilkenny but it's the things outside of it," Fennelly explains to RTÉ Sport.

"You don't have to watch your sleep as much, you don't have to watch your diet as much and it's those small key things.

"I think there's a lot more pressure when it comes to Kilkenny then when you're playing - you think a lot more about it - you get tired and overwhelmed from it all and certainly since I've finished, it has been a lot more relaxed and enjoyable.

"But that's what comes with playing with Kilkenny. You're at the top and you're there to be dragged back down as much as possible from other teams.

"We were at the top for long enough and that time ran out I suppose."

The same goes for Ballyhale when it comes to rivals trying to get the better of them. The reigning All-Ireland champions got to the decider the hard way.

St Rynagh's were only overcome after extra-time in the