Kilkenny star weighs in on debate around moving Leinster hurling final out of Croke Park as Galway tussle looms
An All-Star midfielder in 2022, apprentice electrician Mullen has played most of his hurling in the half-forward line.
2
Kilkenny are hoping to be crowned Leinster kingpins for the sixth year in a row
2
As a player Derek Lyng won nine Leinster Championships to go with six All-Irelands
But for the first time since his underage days, the Ballyhale Shamrocks man had No 6 on his back as Kilkenny
With David Blanchfield, Mikey Carey and Richie Reid also occupying the position this season, Cats boss Derek Lyng continues to tinker with centre-back options.
Speaking ahead of the Leinster final against Galway, Mullen said: 'I've no idea where I'm going to be playing.
'I'll be happy to play anywhere that I'm picked so we'll have to wait and see.'
Read More On GAA
As Kilkenny were already assured of a place in the provincial final before their seven-point loss to the Models, Lyng had scope to experiment.
Mullen explained: 'I'll play anywhere I'm told to play. If you're told to play centre-back, you obviously just have to adapt to that.
'If you're closer to the goal, you have to be a threat up there and stuff like that. You have to be able to play anywhere with the way the game has gone.
'Given the circumstances of the round-robin — we were already through — it was probably a game to give lads a bit of game time and get minutes into the legs and stuff like that. I suppose that's just what you saw there.'
Most read in GAA Hurling
Plagued by injuries over the years, Mullen has declared himself fit and available for selection as Kilkenny take aim at a sixth straight Bob O'Keeffe Cup this weekend.
He said: 'The body is holding up well for now. I suppose at this time of year, you're never really 100 per cent going into any games, especially with how tough and heavy training is.
RTE pundit Joe Canning urges GAA to make huge change for Leinster hurling final as fans 'totally agree'
'I've kept it together for now and I'm looking forward to Sunday.'
Heading into his seventh season on the panel, Mullen picked up a groin injury that sidelined him for the National League.
His playing time for Kilkenny at senior level has also been curtailed by knee, hamstring and thumb injuries.
The 2019 Young Hurler of the Year said: 'It's probably just a variety of different things.
'I suppose with the workload of pre-season at the time, you'd do well to come out of it injury-free. I was just unfortunate at that time to pick up kind of a groin injury or a groin issue.
'But it's all good now and I'm fit and ready to go.'
FEELING FIT
While a twisted ankle also forced Mullen off after just 17 minutes of the Leinster opener against Galway in April, he was back for the meeting with Offaly three weeks later.
If given the nod, the former DCU student will make his 33rd Championship start against the Tribesmen at Croke Park on Sunday.
And he insisted: 'I feel good. Training has been tough over the last couple of weeks and months. Once you put in that work and that foundation, it definitely stands to you.
'I feel good coming into the latter part of the Championship.' Mullen produced a man-of-the-match display in last year's Leinster final, racking up 0-7 from play as
Joe Canning has
But Mullen said: 'I suppose speaking as a player, there's no place you'd rather be than Croke Park. As a player, I'm happy that it's in Croke Park.
'Wherever it ends up being played, maybe in the years to come, you just have to get on with it. It makes no difference really once you're out on the pitch.'
Asked about the bookies' forecast — which has been echoed by many pundits — that this year's All-Ireland is a two-horse race between Limerick and Cork, Mullen responded: 'I suppose it only seeps in if you're paying attention to it really.
'Obviously we have our own opinions and our own beliefs.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The 42
an hour ago
- The 42
Career lessons and soccer tactics: What will Andy Moran bring to Mayo?
AFTER THE BLUNT break-up that ended Kevin McStay's tenure, the appointment of a recent Mayo GAA hero has at least reinjected a bit of hope into a county which has drifted away from All-Ireland contention. Mission one already accomplished for Andy Moran. What's to follow will be harder to achieve, but it's a task he has been preparing for ever since the moment he announced his retirement. In one of the exit interviews from his playing days, there was little doubt what Moran had in mind as he spoke about going down the coaching route. 'I've been dreaming about winning an All-Ireland since I was five years of age. Hopefully, my story isn't finished with Mayo yet,' he said. The 41-year-old's career was a story of personal growth. Having emerged as a roaming half-back/half-forward, a broken leg and cruciate injury triggered his transformation into a full-forward. He studied soccer strikers to learn the inside movement required, as well as contemporaries such as Paul Geaney, Con O'Callaghan, and Ollie Murphy. His career as a gym owner, much like TJ Reid, helped him produce his best football into his thirties. Following his 15th season of inter-county football, Moran was named Footballer of the Year for 2017, a day after his 34th birthday. James Horan convinced him to give one more year in 2019. In a similar vein, one of Moran's first calls is likely to be to 33-year-old former teammate Cillian O'Connor, enquiring whether the championship's record scorer fancies another spin. Mayo's Andy Moran taking on Michael Fitzsimons of Dublin during the 2017 All-Ireland final. Tommy Dickson / INPHO Tommy Dickson / INPHO / INPHO Moran would've relished Gaelic football's new rules (much like O'Connor would). He coached a Monaghan side who were early embracers of those opportunities. The Farney's 58 two-pointers were more than any other county, averaging 4.5 per game. Attacking returns have too often been Mayo's greatest fallibility. After joining Gabriel Bannigan's backroom team last autumn, Moran identified moving the ball quicker as a priority and impressed the opportunity of squeezing up on opponents. They were beliefs that chimed with the intent of the Football Review Committee's modifications. 'I believe in football being a forward-based game, in terms of being progressive,' he told the Farney Army Pod last October. He added: 'I think (Gaelic) has taken an awful lot from soccer, but I think it has taken the bad stuff if you ask me. If you look at the real top teams now playing soccer, all their passes are forward. They might go back once, but the next one has to be forward. We need to take that into our game, where it's more of a forward transition game than a backward passing game. Advertisement 'We're nearly taking soccer from back in the 1992 Euros, pass it back to the keeper and use it, but we need to get to the modern soccer, which is pass the ball forward. 'Like most teams, when they're attacking, they've five fellas across the front line. If you look at Arsenal now, they'd have Saka one side, they'd have a left back the other side, Martinelli, Havertz, and somebody else in the middle. They'd have five guys up. 'In Gaelic, we're taking the bad stuff out of the possession, instead of getting it forward.' That experience of Ulster football served as a final apprenticeship to sharpen him for his home role. Moran set about learning his trade outside the county bounds as he was appointed Leitrim manager ahead of the 2022 season. His tenure featured some bad luck in penalty shoot-outs. They were eliminated in the Tailteann Cup quarter-finals by Sligo on penalties in 2022 before the lowest point, losing to New York at Gaelic Park in another shoot-out. His third and final year brought promotion from Division 4 and, doubling up as U20 manager, a stunning triumph over Mayo. Andy Moran was appointed Leitrim manager ahead of the 2022 season. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO The Leitrim County Board hailed his 'boundless levels of energy and enthusiasm' upon his departure that summer. With Monaghan, Moran was involved in a Division 2 title and a run to the All-Ireland quarter-finals. His Mayo backroom team has also caught the eye. Colm Boyle is another hero of that 2010s era, who, like Moran, earned a reputation as an insightful pundit upon his retirement. Paddy Tally is coming off a tumultuous year as Derry manager, but holds an impressive coaching CV. He has been involved in All-Irelands with Tyrone (2003) and Kerry (2022), while helping Down to the 2010 final. Moran's final game as a player was the All-Ireland semi-final loss to Dublin in 2019. Since then, the goalkeeper, the entire defence bar Stephen Coen, half of the midfield pairing, and four of the substitutes called upon that day have retired. Enough time has passed to ease the potential awkwardness of managing former teammates. The slight fall off in support highlights that expectations aren't immediately set sky high, although Moran knows where the bar is fixed from his playing career. The board statement reaffirmed their belief in the county's stature in the game when stating: 'The level of interest and calibre of applicants once again highlights the strength and reputation of Mayo football.' Their victory over Tyrone and the nature of their narrow loss to Donegal underline that Mayo aren't far away on their day. Their defeat to Cavan and shaky Connacht displays show that they are miles away when off form. An early aim will be to bring the consistent application which defined Moran's career. Another will surely be to halt Galway's five-in-a-row Connacht bid. The playing resources aren't what they were in his playing days. He will need to build around the remaining leaders from then. Beyond recruiting Cillian O'Connor, pressing matters include getting the most out of the remaining years in Aidan O'Shea (perhaps in an Andy Moran-type role) and a clear run of fitness for Paddy Durcan, Tommy Conroy, Diarmuid O'Connor, and Eoghan McLaughlin. Ryan O'Donoghue has been too often starved of support. He needs back-up. Otherwise, teams that succeed in snuffing out his influence will continue to beat Mayo. Given his career trajectory, Moran will hope to inspire improvements from the in-between generation, who are approaching their peak years. Infusing some of the young stars from their U20 Connacht champions is another important step. That team produced some exciting attacking displays, which are just what Mayo need, before falling one point short in an All-Ireland semi-final. Their minor teams have also reached the semi-finals in the past two campaigns, which will form the basis of next year's U20 offering. Translating that promise to higher grades hasn't always come easily. Still, if they can add those attacking reinforcements, there is enough of a base there to regain their status as a contender. The new man will need patience and loyalty from the board, but he could be just the man to return the feel-good factor to Mayo football.
Irish Examiner
2 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Ger Brennan management team set to include Dean Rock and Denis Bastick
New Dublin manager Ger Brennan's coaching ticket is set to include former team-mates Dean Rock and Denis Bastick. Brennan was appointed to succeed Dessie Farrell last week on a three-year term. Dublin GAA announced the two-time All-Ireland winner last week with his backroom team to be confirmed in due course. It is understood that is set to include former midfielder Denis Bastick, who retired in 2018. Bastick won five All-Ireland senior titles during his county career. Ballymun Kickhams man Dean Rock retired after the 2023 campaign. He won eight All-Ireland senior titles and three All-Stars. Brennan's long-time advisor Professor Niall Moyna is also expected to be involved. Moyna was part of the Louth coaching team last year as Brennan steered them to their first Leinster crown in 68 years. The DCU Health and Human Performance man was part of the backroom team for the 2011 All-Ireland triumph. Dublin's appointment, as well as the confirmation of Andy Moran in Mayo and Paul Madden in Clare, means that the number of counties with vacancies now stands at four: Roscommon, Waterford, Antrim and Westmeath are still in the hunt. Kevin O'Brien is the new Westmeath senior hurling manager. File picture: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile Elsewhere, Kevin O'Brien was officially ratified as the new Westmeath senior hurling manager on Tuesday night at a County Committee meeting. O'Brien previously managed the county's U20s and replaces Seoirse Bulfin, who stepped down in June after only one season in charge. The new boss was handed a two-year term with the option of a third. Westmeath were relegated last season to Division 2 of the Allianz Hurling League and finished fourth in the Joe McDonagh Cup. Westmeath chairman Frank Mescall expressed his frustration at how the process was covered in the media. Several names were linked to the role in recent weeks. 'I Am really disappointed that the whole process seemed to play out on media - social media, newspapers. How it happens, I do not know. But almost everything we did was on social media. It is fine for the person who gets the job, they won't mind. But you have other people involved who are not successful and you have to be respectful of them,' he said, as reported by the Westmeath Examiner.
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Irish Times
Helvic Dream team lose Galway Hurdle appeal
Connections of Helvic Dream have lost their appeal against the decision of the stewards to demote their horse to second in the Galway Hurdle. Helvic Dream and Donagh Meyler won by a head but the stewards deemed there was enough interference caused to Jack Kennedy and Ndaawi to change the finishing order. Trainer Noel Meade's appeal was considered at an Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board hearing on Wednesday, with Mrs Justice Siobhán Keegan outlining the decision on behalf of the Appeals Body. She said: 'The ultimate decision that we have to reach is whether the stewards erred in their decision on the day and whether we should uphold the decision or reach a different view on this. READ MORE 'Having viewed all the recordings of the race and considered all of the evidence we have to come to our decision, mindful that these determinations are on the balance of probabilities. We also want to say that we can well see why an appeal has been brought in this case. 'In coming to our conclusion ... we cannot be satisfied that the stewards erred in their decision to reverse the placings. 'In summary that is because interference has occurred, and it was caused by Mr Meyler. Whilst Mr Kennedy's horse may not have obviously lost its own momentum, he was clearly significantly pressed for space so near the rail and he was not able to ride his strongest race. We must therefore dismiss the appeal.' Meade's deposit was returned.
