HE TOOK A year out from inter-county hurling this season and All-Ireland winner Séadna Morey is undecided if he’ll return to the Clare hurling panel in 2022.
The speedy defender, who lifted the Liam MacCarthy Cup with the Banner in 2013, hasn’t ruled out a return to the squad at some stage down the line, whether that’s next season or not.
Sixmilebridge’s hopes of winning a third straight Clare SHC title were dashed after a quarter-final defeat to Éire Óg but Morey has plenty to keep him occupied over the winter months.
Together with his cousin, Clare camogie star Chloe Morey, they’re establishing a new fitness facility in their native Sixmilebridge called Morey Movement.
It’s an idea that’s been a number of years in the making for the pair, only to be delayed by the pandemic last year.
As the official opening of their business venture looms, Séadna says he hasn’t given much thought to the prospect of a return to the Clare jersey next season.
“Last year I never said I was retiring or stepping away for good or anything like that, it was kind of a year out just to get this up and going and to freshen myself mentally too,” he tells The42.
“My job is very time-consuming and it was hard to juggle everything,” says Morey, who works as a dangerous goods safety advisor with EcoOnline.
“I was struggling on that side so I just wanted to take a year out to freshen things up. Next year really I haven’t thought about it properly to be fair.
“Anything I do I want to 100% commit to so at the moment it’s the gym and getting Morey Movement up and going is my full focus. Whether down the line I consider things, or if Brian (Lohan) even wants me back we don’t know, but that’s something I haven’t thought about.
“At the moment my full focus will be 100% to Morey Movement and getting it up and running.”
At 28, he still has time on his side and hasn’t ruled out the prospect of returning to the Clare jersey at some stage down the line.
“No, not at all,” he says. “Back when I was coming up through underage and stuff, 28 is when you’d be looking at your peak time. That’s when players would be at their best, going on to 30, 31 and 32.
“I know times have changed with hurling now and it’s hard to get a long stint in inter-county careers body-wise and stuff like that.
“But I definitely wouldn’t rule anything out in the future. I love hurling, I love my county and I love representing Clare. If it’s something I get the hunger back for again and love for it I’ll consider 100% going back.”
While Sixmilebridge have been dominant on the club scene in Clare, winning five county titles since 2013, much of his success at inter-county level arrived in the early part of his career.
Between 2010 and 2013, Morey won two Munster minor medals with Clare, three Munster and All-Ireland U21 titles, in addition to a Celtic Cross at senior level.
He looks on that period of his career fondly, even if it took its toll on the mind and body. He had a double hip operation that forced him to miss much of the 2016 season, but recovered fully to return the following year.
“We had the minor success, then straight into U21,”he recalls. “While we were still winning then U21 we were won the senior so it was all in one go really. It was week-on-week, there was never a break.
“We were lasting until the end of the years and then U21 goes into a bit of the winter time back when I was playing it. So it was just non-stop. I remember it was eight years in-a-row where every week I was training and playing matches, it was never a break or a pre-season.
“It took its toll on my body and also it took its toll mentally. When you’re in inter-county, you prioritise everything towards it. Even days off you’re focusing on nutrition, you’re trying to get your body right for the next session.
“I loved, I absolutely loved all my time in the inter-county but I suppose when I came to last year I just said I need to prioritise other things in my life.
“When I do something I want to do it 100%. So if my mind and heart wasn’t in it I wasn’t going to just rock up to trainings and try get through it. I wanted to really properly enjoy it.
“The love for it kind of went in a way and I just needed to step away and get that freshness and look at other aspects of my life and my professional career and at home too.”
Davy Fitzgerald coached Sixmilebridge for the past few years and Morey believes it will be an unusual experience for the recently departed Wexford boss not to be involved with the inter-county team next year.
“I’d say he’ll get cabin fever and crack up. Ah no look, he’s had an amazing career as a manager and player. If he takes a break and a year out I’d be delighted for him, I suppose we don’t know yet if he’ll come back to the club next year but I know the players would love to have him back because of the energy of the trainings.
“In fairness, he’s one of the best coaches out there. The training aspect he brings to us as a club even, it’s inter-county standard and we love it as players. I’d say he’s going to find it strange now not travelling on the road heading to trainings and planning for them, but no doubt that whatever comes next year for him he’ll conquer it and love it.
“That’s just the man he is. We have great time for him down here and we just wish him the best. If he decides to come with us again we’d love to have him but if not, and if he has the year to himself, that’ll be great too.”
Meanwhile for Morey, his focus in the short-term will be on getting the gym off the ground.
Having previously worked together to establish a sports camp for children in Sixmilebridge, Séadna and Chloe got their qualifications in strength and conditioning at Setanta College, through the GPA.
“We’re looking forward to have a place where Sixmilebridge can build a fitness community where they’re looking after their health and well-being,” he explains.
“Sixmilebridge has never had a facility like that and it’s a very sporting town.
“It’s not a hurling or a GAA gym or anything like that. It’s trying to focus on everyday people really. Whether you’ve never come into a gym before or you’re well-advanced in it, we’ll hopefully cater for everyone.
“We have a very large facility down there that’s well kitted out. Our ideas are small group PT (personal training) where we’ll have 12 max per class. They have their own area, their own pods with squat racks and everything like that so we’d hopefully be able to bring them along their own fitness journey depending on their goals.
“It’ll be a very one-to-one coaching while within a class setting. That’s our target. It’s for all people really, not just people that are already into their fitness and exercise.”
A number of inter-county players have established their own gyms in recent years, including Mayo legend Andy Moran and Kilkenny’s TJ Reid.
“At the very start when I came into the Clare squad there wasn’t that much emphasis on S&C whereas now it’s gone massive. The science behind it and the intelligence of some S&C coaches that work with teams is incredible.
“That pushed me into wanting to go down that route as well because I am a bit of a fitness freak myself that I want to learn and get better at it all the time,” he adds.
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