THERE was sunscreen, sun-hats, and silverware for Barryroe’s David Kiely when he helped Auckland lift the intermediate football title at the Australasia Interstate Championships in Brisbane.

Even better, the Barryroe man was crowned Best on Ground (man-of-the-match) in the final and picked up an All-Star for good measure.

The 28-year-old West Cork native, now plying his trade on the other side of the world, spoke to The Southern Star about his adventure that carried Auckland to victory over South Australia on a weekend that tested both stamina and sunscreen supplies.

Before any ball was kicked, getting to the tournament was no small feat for Kiely and his Auckland teammates. Forget team buses and county funding, this was grassroots at its purest.

‘The money comes out of lads’ own pockets,’ explained Kiely, who left West Cork shores in 2022.

‘It’s a four-hour flight to Brisbane, so it was a big effort for fellas even to get over there. We were lucky though, probably 80 to 90 percent of Auckland’s best went. We kind of got lucky that way.’

Dave Kiely stole the show with Auckland.

If the travel was a challenge, the Queensland heat was a whole different battle. The soaring temperatures pushed the players to their limits.

‘It was 26 or 27 degrees every day!’ Kiely groaned.

‘I was wearing a sun hat in the warm-up trying to keep the sun off myself – I had to put on sunscreen three times a day. After the first couple of games I adapted, but it was tough going.

‘It was great craic though, and the standard of football was quite high for the conditions we were playing in. It was a super competition and was very well run.’

The tournament schedule was nothing short of gruelling, testing both fitness and tactical nous over a sweltering three-day stretch. Matches came thick and fast, leaving little time for recovery or for sunscreen to dry. As Kiely explains, managing bodies became just as important as managing the ball.

‘We had three teams in our grade, Queensland and South Australia, so we played each other twice. Two games Friday, two on Saturday, and the final on Sunday,’ he said.

‘After winning the two games on Friday, we had to be smart about it because we knew we’d be in the final. We only had 22 lads and were fairly light on forwards. We had to wrap a few of the better players in cotton wool to keep them fresh for Sunday. Whereas, I nearly played every single minute, so I don’t know what that says about me!’ he laughed.

Sunday was the big day, and once the final whistle blew on a 1-10 to 1-5 win over South Australia, the sweat and sore legs were quickly forgotten.

‘It’s a different thing altogether,’ Kiely admitted when asked how winning with Auckland compared to Barryroe.

‘At home, you’re playing for your club and parish along with fellas you’ve known all your life. Over here, it’s with lads you might be marking next week. One minute you’re teammates, the next you’re rivals again. It’s mad, but it was great craic all the same. A brilliant experience.’

Kellie Scannell (left), of New South Wales (Sydney) and Enniskeane, with teammates celebrating their Australasia Championships camogie win over Victoria in Brisbane.

Kiely isn’t the only West Cork representative making waves Down Under. Kellie Scannell of Enniskeane won the camogie title with New South Wales, while Valley Rovers’ Daire and Eimear Kiely helped Victoria to the women’s senior football title, with Daire also picking up an All-Star award. One of Victoria’s coaches was Niall Murray from Dohenys.

Meanwhile, Karen McSweeney of Gabriel Rangers featured for Queensland in the senior football competition, Eimear O’Reilly of Courcey Rovers lined out with the Victoria camogie team, and Eimear Murphy from Newcestown was part of the New Zealand women’s intermediate football team.

It was, all told, a weekend where West Cork once again left its mark on every corner of the global GAA scene.