KEEPING UP APPEARANCES

Mason learning from goalden generation at club, county & college

- KARL O'KANE

Ballyhale Shamrocks (Kilk) v St Thomas' (Gal) Tomorrow, Thurles, 3.30pm

DEAN MASON has faced the bullets and is learning from the best.

If it's not TJ Reid, Colin Fennelly and young stars Eoin Cody and Adrian Mullen in the firing squad at Ballyhale Shamrocks training, it's Anthony Nash in with the University of Limerick.

Or it could be one Henry Shefflin or Richie O'Neill, who is with Shefflin in Galway.

Sometimes it's Richie Reid, who played in goals for Ballyhale, but is now outfield for club and county, with little pieces of advice.

Other times it was former Kilkenny goalie, David Herity the current Kildare boss taking an odd session. It's an astonishing array of influences to call on for a young player on their journey up.