Former Clare footballer Keelan Sexton has described his decision to switch clubs from Kilmurry-Ibrickane to Na Fianna as “one of the toughest things you can do”.
Having lived and worked as a solicitor in Dublin for the past number of years, Sexton made the transfer late last year after feeling the strain of the commute to West Clare.
It was with a heavy heart that he changed allegiances to Na Fianna, who he helped to guide into the Dublin semi-finals on Sunday scoring 1-4 against Ballymun Kickhams.
“Leaving home is tough. Not a lot of people understand it, where I’m from, west Clare, you’re born into a club, they give you everything and you want to give them everything back. But I was burning the candle at each end and I was kind of falling out of love with football for a while.
“I just wasn’t putting in as much effort because it was so tough to get up and down the road. You’re not really a part of the slogging. The boys are running in November and very rarely would I get back to running midweek with them. I just felt that I was detached from the group a little bit.
“It’s nice to be up here and you’re part of a group. I’ve seen everything that’s going on with them, I’ve seen the suffering the boys are going through. I’m in the trenches with them. Look, that’s the great thing about it. It’s a part of your life every day.”
It was through his former county-mate Dean Ryan that Sexton forged a relationship with Na Fianna. “I was living in Stoneybatter region for a long time and my best mate, Dean Ryan, played with Na Fianna for years. And they were lucky enough to accommodate me when I was trying to train, while playing with my club at home.
“And this year, I just said, you know what, I couldn’t put two legs in either county. So, just said I’d commit to my life in Dublin for the next few years. And lucky enough that Na Fianna have welcomed me in, and it’s a great group to be part of, and great lads.”
The big difference between Clare and Dublin club football that Sexton has noticed? Conditioning. “There are certain teams in Clare that are high quality as well. No more than the one that I came from. But, obviously, the last how many club All-Irelands have been given to Dublin.
“The one thing I’d say here is that the athletic ability of most players are through the roof. Nobody’s eating kebabs at the weekend up here or having as many pints as they’re having back in West Clare.
“But, yeah, it’s a good quality up here. And it’s great to get in there and test yourself when you’re one-on-one against the likes of John Small and James McCarthy and them. Where else would you rather be? Kind of just lets you know where you’re at. And I’ve always thought that I’m good enough to play against these players. And, luckily enough, I’m playing with some good players myself.”
It will be a family affair for Sexton when he faces Kilmacud Crokes, the club of his uncle and cousin Pat Burke senior and junior, in a semi-final the weekend after next. Burke junior and Sexton lined out together for Clare in 2015 and ‘16.
After a year’s hiatus, Sexton returned to county colours this past season but announced his inter-county retirement in July. He has sympathy for the Clare footballers after the decision to seed the Munster SFC draw in favour of the province’s top two league finishers.
“Why wasn’t this brought up when we were above Cork for years, four or five years before that (was suggested)? I get the logistics of wanting more money and stuff like that. But in reality, it should be done in maybe two years’ time, if they gave each of them a chance to get up. Give them a chance to get up ahead of Cork. Don’t just pull the trigger on something like that now. Gradually put it in.”