A dual star and potentially the man to kick Dublin to the All-Ireland this summer; 19-year-old Ciaran Kilkenny is all set to have a massive year.
No matter where you are from in the country, you have to be excited by the prospect of watching Ciaran Kilkenny do his thing this summer. If you’re a Dub you should be very excited because arguably the best young player in the game will be lining out in sky blue and navy this year.
Kilkenny is not exactly a new face on the GAA scene. He made his senior debut for Dublin in last year’s football Championship and started the All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Mayo.
But 2013 looks to be the year he becomes a star, partly because we thought he was lost to us forever.
Shortly after the All-Ireland final, it was confirmed that the long-standing rumour about Kilkenny trying his hand at the AFL was true. On September 29, it was announced that Kilkenny had signed with Melbourne club Hawthorn and with his skill set we expected him to follow the likes of Zach Tuohy, Pearce Hanley, Tommy Walsh and many more and become an Aussie Rules star.
But after just four months, the pull of home was too great for the Castleknock native and he returned from Oz for good. We imagine new Dublin boss Jim Gavin couldn’t have dreamt of a better New Year’s gift.
Kilkenny announced his return to GAA for the Under 21s when he scored 2-10 against Carlow in mid-February and he had established himself once again on the senior side too – have a look at his bizarre, but brilliant, solo effort against Kildare below – before injury cut short his Allianz League campaign.
Luckily for Dublin the knee injury he sustained is only a medial ligament strain and he should be back in action in plenty of time for Dublin’s Leinster Championship opener against Westmeath or Carlow on June 1.
Of course, Kilkenny is a class hurler as well but Anthony Daly hasn’t had a chance to avail of his services yet, though he hasn’t ruled out playing for the county’s hurlers in the future.
So for now we will just have to revel in his wondrous football skills. Comfortable off either foot, Kilkenny is very physically imposing for someone his age. His spell in Australia, albeit brief, has definitely brought him on and to say he is a handful to mark is an understatement.
Dublin, of all counties, aren’t stuck for talented forwards but Kilkenny has the extra little spark of brilliance which could make all the difference in the white-hot heat of the Championship’s closing stages.
Speaking to RTE earlier this year he said: “When you grow up you dream about winning All-Irelands with your club and county and playing in Croke Park. That’s my goal and it’s what I want to achieve.”
We wouldn’t be at all surprised if he achieved it this summer.
