Madden eager to get back on the pitch
By Gavin Dalton
Balllyboden St. Enda’s and Dublin senior hurler James Madden like every other player in the country is eager to get back on the pitch.
Madden who was one of Mattie Kenny’s standout performers in the past year, spoke to The Echo about his hopes for the season, which is unfortunately up in the air at the moment given the unforeseen circumstances.
Ballyboden's James Madden in action against St Vincent's in the quarter final of the 2019 Dublin Senior 'A' Hurling Championship (photo by John Kirwan)
“ It’s very hard to know. I suppose we’re all on the same boat, everyone’s wishing we might be able to get back out there in some form at some stage of 2020. I know players, fans, the whole lot want to get back but obviously safety comes first.
“At the minute the proposal from the GAA I think is late July for club and October for county. It probably seems a bit ambitious at the minute.
They’ll probably have to revisit that and we could see it being pushed out a bit further , but I suppose optimistically speaking, going by the last few days Covid-19 figures have been improving considerably so if that keeps going in the right direction, there is some bit of hope.”
The 24 year old defender has made a bit of a name for himself in the intercounty scene as of late.
His tight marking, tenacious style of play with the Dubs has seen him receive plaudits from some of the games greatest.
Former Waterford star John Mullane prior to the halt to the season namechecked the ‘Boden speedster as one of 5 players he expected to light up the 2020 Leinster championship. The job of picking up the opposition’s main attacker is a role Madden enjoys.
“Yeah I don’t mind it to be honest. I suppose I’ll do whatever job is needed, I mean in the backs if there’s a man to be picked up I’ll be happy to do the job if it means bettering the team, that’s the way I look at it.”
In regards to the timing of the season’s ceasefire, he added: “The timing was unfortunate I suppose. We were doing decently as a team, and on a personal level I was happy with how I was going. We were kind of getting close to the championship season too, but look I suppose it’s just a chance for everyone to get prepared and be ready for when the time does come to get back playing, because it will come.
“For now it’s just about taking it day by day and keeping fit.”
On Saturday last, James and his fellow Dublin teammates along with the players from the county’s underage squads from U14 to senior took part in “Hurl for Hope”, a fundraiser organised in aid of Pieta house.
Speaking of the initiative James said: “ The “Darkness into Light”, their main fundraiser for the year, was unfortunately cancelled due to the Covid-19 situation.
Credit to the minor hurlers, they came up with the initiative that every Dublin hurler would strike a ball continuously for an hour straight, in the hope of raising some needed funds for Pieta House, trying to help in any small way we could.
“ The original target was to raise €5000, at the minute I think it’s up over €23,000 so credit to everyone who has been donating.
It’s great to see all the different initiatives being done by everyone across the board to try to aid the charities in need at the minute.”
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