“He’d take the elbow off you” – Aaron Cunningham dishes the dirt on his Wolfe Tones teammates

There was only one question Aaron Cunningham could not answer when grilled on the inner workings of the Wolfe Tones dressing room.

The Clare All-Ireland winner at under-21 and senior level is gearing up to lead his club side Wolfe Tones in an AIB All-Ireland Intermediate Club hurling semi-final this Saturday against Bennettsbridge of Kilkenny in Banagher in Offaly. The 22-year-old is one of the youngest captains in the club's history, but is wise enough after six years playing with the senior side to know that there are some things you don't answer, especially when it's about who he likes to take on in a sprint during a training game.

"Ah no, I've faith enough in the six backs there to do their job, I won't be hanging anyone out to dry on that one."

https://twitter.com/wtnsgaa/status/689118741838299136 Cunningham is a doubt for the game due to a hand injury picked up at the start of the year in training, while the Munster champions face a tough test in trying to deny the Kilkenny side doing a junior/intermediate double in the All-Ireland series. The half-forward admits that the 2015 season was in stark contrast to the miserable fortunes the club has endured over the last half-decade.

"This is my sixth year playing with the club, and for the last five years we were always in relegation finals so this is the first time we've actually won something. We were finally relegated in 2014 and that was bound to come at some stage. "My experience up to this year was going out and seeing how little you could be beaten by and trying to put it up to teams."

https://twitter.com/gkeane253/status/668091615614009344 Cunningham made his debut having been thrown in at the deep end just after his 16th birthday, and he admits club hurling has developed hugely over the last number of years.

"I'm 22 so I played my first game at senior - I think it was against Tubber in Cusack Park - when I was 16. Brian Lohan gave me the chance as I was involved with the Clare minors. It was a lot different to what I was used to physically and now I'm looking back thinking how the hell was it done at all at 16." "The game has changed and it's all younger hurlers at club level now. We'd have a lot of lads that would have started at 16 and now they are in their 30s."

Bennettsbridge will have to be keenly aware of Cunningham, and 18-year Aaron Shanagher, who has been the club's top scorer in their run through Clare and Munster. Cunningham admits the teenager has been a revelation.

"He burst onto the scene with the Clare minors and it was surprise maybe for those outside of the club but for a lad still in secondary school his physical presence is unbelievable and his skill is on a different level. He's our top scorer from frees and play at just 18."

https://twitter.com/ClareSupporter/status/668077395367342080 Cunningham's position as captain means he's ideally placed to dish the dirt on some of his playing colleagues, and enjoys the chance to explain who the biggest messer in the changing room is.

"Gary O'Connell, or 'Salmon' as we call him. He's very very good at voice impersonations but I might be leaving a secret out there in saying that he's top at taking off our manager James Carrig. He gets a bit of a doing and I don't think James ever knows but he's definitely the joker."

Cunningham also feels that at least one player uses his children as a handy excuse for turning up late for most sessions.

"Declan O'Rourke. He's not even late, he just shows up whenever he feels like it.  I'll have him down for that anyway. Kids is his usual excuse and a few lads use it as well, it's a popular card to play."

Bennettsbridge may be the favourites for the game, but they have been warned, by Cunningham at least, to watch out for whom he rates as the toughest man in the Wolfe Tones panel.

"You wouldn't want to be going in on Bobby McPhillips anyway if he was in a bad mood, he'd take the elbow off you. Bobby, when he gets going, is awful tough to be around."

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