Despite losing the All-Ireland final to Tipperary, 2010 holds special memories for recently retired Kilkenny star Michael Fennelly.
In an extensive interview on RTÉ Radio's Saturday Sport today, the three-time All-Star talked about the injuries that forced him to hang up his hurl and also looked back on his illustrious career in the black and amber jersey.
2010 will be remembered as the year that the Premier County threw a spanner in the works of Kilkenny's Liam MacCarthy Cup five-in-a-row bid but it was also the year that Fennelly announced his arrival on the inter-county stage.
"There was a lot of big games, a lot of big days, and they weren't all in Croke Park," he said. "A lot of them were in Nowlan Park or Thurles.
"2011 definitely was a big year. Obviously, I got Hurler of the Year and got a goal in the All-Ireland final. That's definitely a special moment.
"But I remember in 2010, I came out of nowhere really, in one sense. It was my first year properly playing and got nominated for Hurler of the Year with Lar (Corbett).
"And probably wasn't that far off getting it, only Lar got three goals in the final. I think in that final, I played quite well. It was one of the strongest games I've played with Kilkenny.
"And I didn't want to be a flash in the pan. I wanted to get back here and up this high level again. And not to have people saying, 'oh, Michael Fennelly, he had one good year and that was him done.'
"And that was something that really drove me."
Tweet