Kerry’s Killian Young a little envious of perks of rugby life

Professional rugby player walks into a bank to be greeted by a four-time All-Ireland winner. One is on holidays, which really means full-scale recovery and prehabilitation mode, the other is days away from a Munster final with the much-maligned neighbours.

They compare notes. Everything is pretty much the same, except for one thing. The man in the middle of his championship summer is stuck in a sauna, draped in a suit and tie, while the other is preparing for a new adventure in Northampton.

Kerry men both, one plays sport for a living, the other because it’s a compulsion.

It's not the money Killian Young yearns for, it's the recovery time. "Preparation has now gone very professional, and where it's all going to stop, nobody knows," said the 28-year-old Young, who is chasing a sixth provincial medal in Killarney.

Comparing notes

During the week, he’s a banker. “I was talking to JJ Hanrahan in Castleisland the other day. We were comparing notes and we discovered that what we do in training is much the same as Munster do as they prepare for big games.

“What kind of shocked me was that I was behind the counter working away and he was outside the counter, so I was working and he wasn’t. So the difference is that he is getting recovery and I am not, money doesn’t enter the equation. That is the only difference . . .”

Of course, Young does have one possible advantage.

Hanrahan turns 23 this month. All going well he should squeeze 12 more seasons out of his body – play for Ireland too – without ever becoming financially secure for life. He’ll eventually need to get a job. Young will be long gone from Gaelic football by then.

Might have climbed up the Bank of Ireland ladder or used the experience to build a career elsewhere.

“The way I look at is that I have to look at my entire career within football and outside of it,” Young continued. “My career is very important to me and to my family, so I do set boundaries, because football will not pay the bills in 10 years’ time, or now. My professional career that I am pursuing is very important, and I won’t sacrifice that for football. That is my opinion on it, others have different opinions, but that is where I stand.”

Sensible play

Unless the GAA player is a teacher or a perennial student or seeking a move into some form of funded coaching role, that’s the sensible play.

Or, if they were good enough at talking as they are at playing, follow Tomás Ó Sé into the media world.

“Myself and Marc [Ó Sé] were laughing already about it, saying that he is trying to make a bit of money for himself, but his comments would not be shared by the squad or management, and we know that we will meet a fired up Cork on Sunday.”