Two weeks prior to Dublin beginning their Leinster Championship campaign with a trip to Nowlan Park to take on Laois, Ciaran Kilkenny had exams on his mind. The Dublin half forward was finishing up his final year at St. Patrick's in Drumcondra.
Before Dublin play Mayo in this year's All-Ireland final, his education will again be to the forefront of Kilkenny's thoughts. The Castleknock man will be spending two of the three weeks heading into the game in the Gaeltacht in Donegal.
Kilkenny went into Sunday's semi-final with Dublin as one of the favourites for Footballer of the Year. After an excellent league campaign for Dublin, his influential form continued through the championship. Though, at Croke Park yesterday, he was superbly shackled by Paul Murphy.
It won't be ideal preparation for Kilkenny. Jim Gavin would undoubtedly prefer to have him around the camp as he plots for the All-Ireland final.
Kilkenny does say that his time in Donegal will be a 'nice distraction'.
I have to go to the Gaeltacht. I'm doing a Masters in Education, so I have to go to the Gaeltacht for two weeks. I have to work around that. I suppose that'll be a nice distraction.
I'll be up in the lovely place of Gweedore in Donegal and will have good craic up there. That'll keep me occupied.
I won't be wearing the Dublin gear. There's a few McGees and Kevin Cassidy, Odhrán Mac Niallais and a few lads up there so they'll be slagging me.
You can listen to Kilkenny below via audio from Today FM.
Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
