When GAA players retire from the inter-county game, they often say the one thing they are most looking forward to spending their newly-acquired free on is not their family, or socialising with friends, but instead playing for their club.
Being an inter-county player often means club hurling or football takes a place on the bench, getting occasional attention between the end of the League and start of the Championship.
Speaking last month about his retirement due to ongoing knee issues, Richie Power said that it would be a double blow if he is unable to line out for Carrickshock once again.
One man giving all for his club since retirement last year is Henry Shefflin. The 10-time All-Ireland winner even lined out for Ballyhale in an intermediate club football game earlier this year.
Despite having competition from Kilkenny's current number one - TJ Reid - when it comes to free-taking, Shefflin still receives priority in Ballyhale at dead ball situations.
That's according to Reid who was speaking at the launch of Kellogg's GAA Cul Camps.
He does [take frees] but when he starts missing a few, he's on my case straight away.
Though Reid did joke that he might attempt to 'push Shefflin aside' once he returns to Ballyhale, he has the utmost of respect for his club mate.
I'll never be Henry Shefflin. He's the king of hurling. I'm doing the best for myself and I'm looking to do my best out on the hurling field and looking to be the best out there.
Certainly, I watched Henry from a young age and he's luckily from Ballyhale. I went training with him. He brought me training, he brought me home from training. I did learn a lot from him.
His work ethic is on and off the field is phenomenal. All the legends that have retired have those ingredients. You have to be honest, you have to be 100% committed. The spirit has to be 100% each time you go into that dressing room and hit that field. Every time you hit that white line in Nowlan Park; train hard; put your bodies on the line and then off the field you can wind down.
Picture credit: Stephen McCarthy / SPORTSFILE
