- NEWS
10% tax on junk food to tackle obesityA 10% tax on fizzy drinks, sweets, biscuits, crisps, and chocolate is to be recommended to the health minister as a way of tackling the country's soaring obesity problem.
Prayer vigil for fine weather as farmers queue for fodderA 24-hour prayer vigil for fine weather has been held on the Kerry-Cork border.
- WORLD
It’s technology, Jim, but not as we know it WHEN Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry first dreamed up the concept of a television show based in the unexplored universe of Outer Space in 1964, the world was a very different place.
Berlusconi’s party girls dressed as nuns, Obama Silvio Berlusconi's private disco featured women dressed not just as sexy nuns and nurses, but also as President Barack Obama and a prominent Milan prosecutor that the former Italian premier has accused of persecuting him.
- BUSINESS
IBRC delays loan valuations, saleThe valuation and sale of IBRC loans has been pushed out by six months to November and December of this year.
The smart money is always on SeánFounded four decades ago, its annual turnover is now €2bn.
- SPORT
The Terry Reilly Interview: The Godfather of GalwayOver the course of almost half a century, Liam Sammon has been in service to Galway football. Now he hopes a new generation can restore county pride.
Super Blues keep double in sightsJoe Schmidt's side won their third European trophy in successive years and gave Connacht reason to celebrate also as the Westerners gained entry to next season's Heineken Cup courtesy of their neighbours to the east.
- LIFESTYLE
Let in the seasonal lightYOUR wardrobe isn't the only thing that needs updating once the barometer starts to rise.
It’s a guy thingDid you cry with your buddy while watching Fergie say farewell at Old Trafford?
10-13C
Live Blogs
- We have no upcoming events at the moment. Please check 'Recent Events' tab for past events
Breaking stories
Niall loving Limerick life
Take this as read: there isn’t a more dedicated nor a more committed inter-county hurler in the country than Niall Moran; there isn’t a player who could be any more proud or more honoured to wear his county’s colours.
By Diarmuid O’Flynn
And yet over almost his entire 10-season senior career since debuting as a teenager in 2003, there has hardly been a player more pilloried. During the troubled year 2010, through a standoff with the county board and then manager Justin McCarthy, Niall was one of those along with the other player rep, Stephen Lucey, singled out for disgraceful criticism within his county.
Through all that turbulence Niall kept his own counsel, retained his dignity but most of all, retained his love for Limerick and his love for hurling. His forbearance paid off. With the appointment last year of Cork man Donal O’Grady to the helm in Limerick, Niall was back in the frame. With his man-of-the-match performance against Clare in the final All-Ireland qualifier game a couple of weeks ago, he was back where he belongs: centre-stage.
When all of the above is put to him he could be forgiven for taking the opportunity to stick it to his critics, to do a bit of crowing. As ever, however, not in his nature.
“First and foremost it was vital that we won that game [against Clare], and I don’t say that lightly,” he said.
“It had nothing to do with proving anyone wrong. It was simply a game we couldn’t afford to lose.
“It would have had a hugely negative impact on the long-term development of this particular Limerick team if we’d lost. Going into it, we felt things were going very well and having already lost three times to Clare this year, we just didn’t want to lose to them again.
“It was a game we had to win. We did that, and the most obvious thing then — after winning any game — is your own performance. You want that to be up to scratch. You want to feel you’re contributing and I think I did that the last day so yes, there’s satisfaction there.
“Ultimately though it’s about the team, about winning, that’s first and foremost.”
Against Clare, Niall did what he does so often with Ahane, taking the game by the scruff of the neck early on and never letting go, something only the great players can do. It was not a conscious decision though, says Niall.
“Every game has a life of its own. I had marked Cian Dillon three times already this year and being honest, with the exception of one day when I could argue I’d broken even, I was badly beaten by him.
“He’s an excellent player but the ball broke my way in that game, I got a few scores early on which took the squeeze off me and that made it easier.”
One of the problems Moran has had with fully expressing himself on the field, and he sees it now himself, was that he was too committed, too intense, which affected his game.
“Sometimes you’re so focused, so engrossed in something, that you can’t see the wood for the trees. You lose sight of the fact you’re supposed to be enjoying all this.
“It was when I was dropped for the Tipperary [Munster championship] game I began to appreciate it fully again. I wasn’t part of it that day and you miss the enjoyment.
“I was determined to work my way back in again but this time I would enjoy it. And I did, the last day was good, it was fun again.”
Giving Moran an added kick is the fact he is now playing alongside three youngsters, Declan Hannon, Shane Dowling and Kevin Downes, whom he taught and coached in Árdscoil Rís. And one of those students, Kevin, is the man vying with him for the full-forward spot.
“That gives me added enjoyment, yes,” Niall said.
“I’d have known of the potential of Declan, Shane and Kevin years earlier from doing the juvenile training camps but now, having seen seven or eight of the lads coming through the school and on to county level, that’s very satisfying.
“It’s the result of a lot of great work in Árdscoil Rís over a number of years by a band of teachers. I knew they’d break onto the senior panel early, I was about 25 at the time so I knew too if I could hold out for a few years I’d have a chance of playing with them.
“We shared great times in the Árdscoil Rís dressing room but it’s great now to be able to have the craic with them on a different level. You’re getting the true story of what’s happening in fellas’ lives! You’re no longer ‘Sir’ with them. When they use it now, it’s only being ironic.
“They’re very talented hurlers, very dedicated, very driven. They want to achieve. They see no reason why they can’t and they’ll do what has to be done. That probably makes it more enjoyable than anything else. They won’t settle for anything less.”