Professional approach gives Cork the edge, says Cregan

EAMONN CREGAN never said so in public, but you always sensed that when he was in charge of Limerick, he was on a personal crusade to win an All-Ireland title that would compensate for the one Offaly snatched in 1994.

Outspoken, often controversial, Cregan was a respected coach and strategist who could draw on considerable experience in management and from his own playing days. These days, he observes from a distance and reaches his own conclusions.

The official stance taken at the beginning of the year over the dual player controversy amused him. This was the issue which undermined his management and eventually led to his resignation. “It raised its head and was quickly quenched. There are double standards in our County Board,’’ he states. “I noticed that an awful lot of the people who criticised me for not wanting dual players hid under a stone. Nobody from the executive questioned the dual player issue this year. Yet, I was reprimanded by the executive, who said players had a choice to play hurling and football.’’

When he thinks back to the Munster championship of three years ago (after Limerick put out champions Cork and recovered from an 11 point deficit to shock Waterford), Cregan voices his strong regrets that they didn’t win the Munster final. That day, in Pairc Ui Chaoimh, they were agonisingly close to beating Tipperary.

“We had the makings of a very young side at that particular time. We should have won that final,’’ he recalled. “In the first 15 minutes Tipperary opened us up. Declan Ryan got four balls in front of the full-forward position and laid them off for points. We had to close that gap but we fought back very well. After that we played Wexford in the All-Ireland quarter-final and had the match practically won until they got a free 25 yards out at the end. Damien Fitzhenry took it and buried it.’’

Despite a treble of U-21 titles, Cregan didn’t believe that things would improve last year. His feeling is that Dave Keane came in with high expectations, ‘thinking that his U-21 team would be his senior team.’

“It would be accepted that an U-21 team does not make a senior team. Players have to be willing to learn. I remember against Waterford last year in the replay, we had 11 of the previous year’s U-21 team playing. An U-21 team cannot beat a senior team no matter how good they are. That’s one reason why they did badly. “

Cregan sensed a general disappointment with the level of hurling from the team in the early stages of the League. While acknowledging that it can be very difficult for a new management attempting to change a team’s style of play, his personal view is that it’s not achievable with some players. “When they are under pressure they will always revert back to what they were doing before,’’ he explained. “Pat Joe Whelahan coming in and trying to get them to play ground hurling could take years. He may never even succeed in doing it. I always felt that teams they picked were based on trials they had during the middle of winter and on players they had seen. But, winter hurling and summer hurling are totally different.

“The hurling is fast, fellows will be fast on their feet, quick to manoeuvre, quick to strike and very quick with their first touch.

“Players are able to take the knocks and give them.’’

He wonders about Brian Corcoran’s decision to make a comeback after three years.

Taking account of his all-round skill and experience, he feels that he could be valuable as an ‘impact’ sub, except that the game has changed in recent years. “There’s no space any more.

“There was a time when you could take a side-step and be into space, but now you run into someone because fitness levels are so high.

“Cork appear to be more professional. I don’t think their goal was the National League, it seemed to be about trying out players. You would have to make them favourites, based on their League form.”

Cregan feels Limerick are unsettled.

He wonders about their strength - or the lack of it - down the middle.