Limerick will need much more than motivation
It governs the all too abstract ideas of hunger, ‘will to win’, determination and the other necessary requirements to achieve success in difficult battles. But although abstract in nature these are vital components in any successful team.
Managers are always looking for an edge, some little thing that will stimulate their players. The required response is an increase in their ‘will to win’ levels and the coach hopes their resolve will be superior to that of the opposition. Managers and players use various techniques to get themselves up for games. One of the best aids is using media comment and criticism to their advantage. Many players and managers admit in post-match interviews that slurs on their reputation, perceived or otherwise, by third parties rather than the opposition were powerful motivating factors.
Within the sanctity of dressing rooms many views on the opposition are expressed. Many references to journalists and other media people are made all with the intention of giving the team that sense of having something to prove.
The sentiments expressed may not even be believed by the people expressing the opinion but crucially all such utterances must have credibility.
This is a major challenge for Denis Walsh and Justin McCarthy managers, of Cork and Limerick respectively this weekend. Walsh will hardly express the view in the Cork camp that a huge challenge faces them and that they will have to be at their best to win. A statement as such will not be credible as all are aware that Limerick are not the real Limerick. Normally having a manager from the home county in the opposing dressing room offers a little edge but not in this case. Justin McCarthy’s 15 are not at the required level of quality because of the well documented difficulties on Shannonside over the past six months.
It is difficult for managers to seek some stimulus to prod players into action when the opposition seems inferior. Before the backdoor Antrim played in semi-finals of the All-Ireland. In 1986 Cork struggled to get over the Northerners. Antrim, under the passionate Sean McGuinness, gave a powerful committed display only going under to a vastly superior force talent wise near the very end.
Cork have similar difficulties this weekend as they had leading into that game.
Walsh will impress upon his players the need to be professional in a hurling sense; to be disciplined giving few scorable frees away while making life difficult for Limerick’s youngsters with smart tackling.
He will want Cork to finish the game by half time and avoid picking up injuries. The Cork players know they need to win but they won’t be half as motivated as they were against Tipperary and will play at half to three quarter pace. Cork are hot favourites for Munster and the last thing Walsh needs is another rip roaring display which will make them hotter still. He will want to dampen things down a little in the expectant minds of the eager fans with a workmanlike display and point to this rather than the Tipp game as their true form as they lead up to a provincial final.
Justin McCarthy will come up against credibility issues also. I doubt if his players really believe that they can win and he will not believe it either. He will stress that the quality of the performance is everything. He will hope that they give a good account of themselves and he will see this as a victory in itself.
No one expects anything from the men in green. Both Justin and the team are free from all pressure. This should lead to a determined performance as a relaxed manner allows players perform near the peak of their powers.
How long this game goes on as a contest depends on the attitude of the Cork players.
Beating Cork would be a major coup for the men in green. However this is beyond them. Taking a severe beating could be psychologically damaging to these young players and impair their future development. The future for Cork is all about victory; for Limerick if there is no reconciliation there is no future.
