Complex sentence: Born in Johnstown, County Kilkenny, Purcell first arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of seventeen when he first linked up with the Kilkenny minor team, before later joining the under-21 side.
Split into simpler sentences: Born in Johnstown, County Kilkenny, Purcell first played competitive hurling in his youth. He arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of seventeen when he first linked up with the Kilkenny minor team, before later joining the under-21 side.