Galway's All Ireland-winning fullback Gearóid McInerney admits that missing out on the county's minor team briefly quelled his interest in the sport altogether.
The former All Star, who has been instrumental to Galway's successes over the past four seasons, explained that it was his return to club competition that whet his appetite once again.
"I played a bit at minor and I didn't make the minor panel," he said on Tuesday's OTB AM.
"That stopped my interest in it totally for a while - for about a year or two.
"Then after a while I got the taste for it again playing for my club. I felt I'd just go for this again.
"I'd be fairly competitive, so I was playing a lot of sport at the time. I think I was playing five so it was just take your pick time.
"I played rugby in school, I think I even played badminton."
Asked whether his interest in rugby could have led to trials with Connacht, he said: "There were a lot of trials around at the time.
"But it got a bit too serious for me at the time in the schools so I had to step away for a while."
Gearoid McInerney lifts the Liam McCarthy in 2017.The 28-year-old agreed that he did have somewhat of a late bloomer status because of his emergence as a key figure in Galway hurling only four years ago.
He added that his role and position within the squad came mostly from his younger years in the sport.
"If I could look from underage and when I started playing all the way up, 90-95% of my games were all at centre back. Maybe a small bit in midfield.
"I liked playing centre back, you have that bit of freedom in the position.
"It's a position I got used to growing up and playing in it."
Gearoid McInerney joined OTB AM this morning, with thanks to Littlewoods Ireland.
They are proud sponsors of the All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. Their #StyleOfPlay campaign continues to bring together the worlds of sport and fashion; showcasing the style and skills of the players both on and off the pitch.
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