Maybe the Gary Keegan impact is being felt in Cork
I was driving to the All-Ireland Colleges final in Thurles on Saturday when I flicked on Newstalk and listened to an interview with Derek McGrath. It was a real philosophical, deep chat with Ger Gilroy. Derek has taken a career break from his teaching job in De La Salle and he was discussing the pros and cons of that decision. Was being in class the Monday morning after a defeat better therapy than stewing at home?
He referred back to the 2014 season when Waterford were relegated and it seemed like the end of the world for him and his team. Waterford are more experienced now and Derek said if they found themselves in a relegation final Sunday evening, they would accept it. That worldliness grants greater perspective but then I heard one report from Ennis after the final whistle yesterday that described Derek and big Dan dancing on the sideline after securing that quarter-final spot.
No matter how cool and Jim Gavinesque you try to be in those situations, there is still a massive relief when you extricate yourself from that web. Cork were expected to be in the relegation final but similar to Waterford, they avoided that trapdoor by digging out a huge win. Given how well Cork reportedly played, along with the massive score they put up, I’d say the two happiest hurling men in the country this morning are Derek and Kieran Kingston.
You have to give it to Cork for the way they responded after successive defeats to Dublin and Kilkenny. We all thought they had blown their chance of making a quarter-final but to take out Waterford and Tipperary down the home stretch shows massive character. Moreover, it will give massive confidence to this team going forward.
That shows good management. The way Patrick Horgan came up with the goods further underlined how well management have got the best out of this group, young and old. Horgan hadn’t been a factor throughout the league for the first four matches but Kieran and his selectors were obviously saying: ‘Hi Hoggy, either shape up or ship out.’ A tally of 15 points is a fair response.
Maybe the Gary Keegan methodology is finally beginning to tell. From having worked with Gary, he challenges you to continually seek out high-performance. It is all about performance and that is what he will always tell you. The Dublin game was not an acceptable display but the performances have incrementally increased ever since.
Cork and Waterford were the big winners of the weekend but you have to give mention to Kevin Ryan and Offaly as well. They only barely beat Kerry yesterday but after a dire start to the campaign, where they shipped massive defeats to Galway and Laois, they turned it around at just the right time.
Galway got the job done and racked up a big score. Kilkenny were typical Kilkenny; after successive defeats, two wins and a draw has given them a shot at Wexford. With the sides due to meet in the championship, will Davy Fitz show his full hand next weekend? Clare will be a little concerned to find themselves where they are, especially if they lose the toss and have to go to Parnell Park for the relegation final.
Dublin will be disappointed not to have beaten Kilkenny but the sending-off of Gary Maguire did have a massive impact on the match.
There was a real championship feel about yesterday. The weather was fantastic. There was a big crowd and a great atmosphere in Parnell, so much so that I think Dublin are going to have to rethink the Spring Series situation where they play at least two home games in Croke Park. I know that’s where they will play their championship matches but while it feels like home for the footballers, Parnell is the spiritual home of the hurlers and you need all those little advantages to try and stay alive in Division 1A.
You just felt Dublin were in a great position up until the sending-off. Even the first Kilkenny goal came against the run of play but I felt Dublin could have made a few changes in their defence to shore things up a little more. They are still a work in progress but Dublin need all the Cuala boys back if they are to beat Clare, and Galway in eight weeks’ time.
Or to get the latest episode automatically, you can SUBSCRIBE ON iTUNES
