“It was purely based on how he impressed with the inters and we didn’t have a player who could kick a long point from outside the 45 and sometimes that is what it comes down to, especially as the competition increases. “But when you see a player with that kind of a leg on him you really have to take a look and coming into the quarter-finals we brought him in. “He came in last year and when players come to Jude’s we don’t like to put pressure on them so he started with the intermediates,” explains Bourke. It’s in Jude’s where he has begun to maximise his potential. Two months later, he came off the bench for Templenoe in their All-Ireland junior football final win over Ardnaree Sarsfields and was again among the substitutes for the All-Ireland intermediate semi-final loss to Oughterard in January of last year. Son of eight-time All-Ireland winner Pat Sr, Spillane Jr’s talent was recognised when he was part of an AFL Combine six years ago. Pat Spillane during his heyday with Kerry. A good few of the lads decided they had to make the jump to Jude’s because the travelling was killing them.” I met him for a coffee after he made the decision - he just knew he wasn’t doing himself justice going up and down. “He struggled to keep that going with Templenoe. I drive for a living so I know that when you’re on the road that much you’re more prone to injury, your body, your hamstrings are tight. “I think he was trying too hard getting down to Kerry on a Friday then back up and expecting that he could train at a high level at the same time was a big ask. But then letting go of your home club is easier said than done.
“I live in Swords and I find it hard to get my kids across to Judes so I can only imagine how difficult it is for these lads to give up going home but they have to. Speaking to him soon after he switched his allegiances from Templenoe to Templeogue, St Jude’s senior manager Gareth Bourke knew the inner turmoil he faced in making the decision. Commuting between Dublin where he works as an assistant brand manager with Lucozade and South Kerry to train and play had become untenable and his transfer to St Jude’s went through early last year. The juxtaposition couldn’t have been clearer but reality had to bite.
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