Blame Colin Fennelly.
Two-time All-Ireland winner Joey Holden retired from hurling with Kilkenny in November 2021 and had planned to spend most of this year travelling with his girlfriend Laura.
They passed the summer in San Francisco, where Joey played for Na Fianna alongside his friend and Ballyhale Shamrocks clubmate, in addition to watching The Cats' July All-Ireland final defeat together in a bar at half eight in the morning.
"I had my Kilkenny jersey on," Holden, the last man from the county to lift Liam MacCarthy, told RTÉ Sport ahead of this Sunday's AIB All-Ireland senior club championship semi-final clash with Ballygunner.
"When we got that goal near the end we leapt up. I thought we could nab this but Limerick just got the scores to get them over the line."
Meanwhile, Fennelly's determination to help Ballyhale secure the first ever Kilkenny five-in-row was planting the idea of Holden returning home in time for the club championship.
That he did, only for his father Patrick to die in September, the day before the county quarter-final was due to be played with Clara.
"I was away in America for the summer, and ultimately, the plan was to keep going through central and south America," says Joey.
"But first of all the hurling was one thing that brought me back. It was egging away at me to try and get back to do the five-in-a-row.
"Colin was mad to get back and he was keeping his fitness going. I wasn't I suppose but something just kept egging away at me, and ultimately we made the decision to come back to see if we could get the five in a row for the Shamrocks in our 50th year [as a club].
"He probably knew my fitness would pick up quick enough because we were training over there anyway. He was just so driven to get that five in a row and keep pushing on. That ultimately had an effect on me at some stage.
"I'm very grateful that we were back at that stage, because we wouldn't have got to say our final goodbyes otherwise"
"Then we had dad's passing. I'm very grateful that we were back at that stage, because we wouldn't have got to say our final goodbyes otherwise. Daddy wanted us all to hurl so much and then hurling brought us back in order to say goodbye to him. It's been a rollercoaster of a year in that sense but we are still hurling away so we can't complain.
"Down the line we'll resume them [the travels]. It'll depend on how far we go in this championship for the flying-out date but we'd love to continue on the travels at some stage."
Ballyhale went on to make history and beat James Stephens for that fifth consecutive county crown before also setting a new record of four Leinster titles in a row, against Kilmacud Crokes earlier this month.
Now they renew battle with Ballygunner, the club who denied them the first All-Ireland club hurling treble 10 months ago, thanks to Harry Ruddle's late late strike.
"I've had lots of heartbreaking defeats over the years," reflects Holden. "That is just another one - unfortunately - to add to the list.
"You can't dwell on these things too long. If you are dwelling on [it] every time you lose in hurling you will be dwelling for an awful long time. The same if you dwell on wins, you will be dwelling for a long time. You just have to ultimately get up and get on with it.
"We've had life and death situations in our club, which is far more relevant. When you see those sort of things it puts it more into perspective.
"We would have loved to win it, we will have ifs and buts about that game for a long, long time, but you just have to get up, get on with it, and look forward to the next game.
"They are All-Ireland champions, we aren't, they have the trophy. We cannot win anything on Sunday, but we can give ourselves a chance to move into an All-Ireland final.
"It is a serious battle ahead, but hopefully we can step up to the mark."
The Munster and Leinster champions meet at 3.30pm on Sunday, half an hour after the World Cup final kicks off in Doha.
Holden (above) thinks the clash is a pity but declares: "As a player, if you asked me to play on Christmas day, I'd play an All-Ireland semi-final on Christmas Day.
"I think whether you like or don't like soccer it's very hard not to get wrapped up in the World Cup. Everybody has followed it because when you're talking to anyone on the street they'll say 'did you see that goal last night?' so you feel like you have to be watching it.
"It's unfortunate but I know there are a lot of games to be played in Croke Park [this weekend], the camogie finals have a big day on Saturday and maybe Sunday was the only option.
"We'll just have to take it on the chin. It's not our decision, we just have to prepare as best we can."
