Conran moulds Wexford into hardworking warriors

IF you want something done, ask a busy man. That would appear to be the philosophy of the Wexford County Board when it comes to appointing their senior hurling managers.

There was the mesmeric Liam Griffin, hotel baron, Tony Dempsey, teacher and TD and now, John Conran, possibly busiest of them all. Pub, shop, off-license, fitted furniture, specialist furniture importer, wool merchant the Rathnure-man sits at the head of it all.

On what was probably a typical afternoon last week, a photo-shoot was taking place in one area of his spacious factory, arrangements were being finalised for an exhibition across the pond in another, while all the time the work-shop business progressed, the phones hopped, tended to between other duties by a couple of good-humoured ladies.

That John Conran would find time at all in that busy schedule to manage any team, even the local U12's, would be a credit to him. That he does so for the county senior side speaks volumes for his love of this game and Wexford.

The job is done with the same level of perfection and professionalism that made him such a successful businessman. The team he took over wasn't at peace with itself, downbeat and in disarray after a number of poor seasons and demoralising defeats. That has changed significantly, and though they aren't yet the complete article, lacking absolute consistency at the highest level, Wexford are again a proud outfit, resolute and hard to beat.

There were glitches, as there are bound to be, and John Conran confronts these head-on. Probably the biggest challenge was to break the recent total dominance of neighbours Kilkenny in Leinster, and challenge the might of Tipperary and Cork elsewhere. They have failed so far on all three fronts. They lost to Cork by seven points early in the League, were trounced in the next game by Tipperary and suffered an 11 point defeat by Kilkenny in the Leinster final.

"We've come a hard old road, the lads have worked awful hard. We started off middling, then we went down, had an awful disaster against Tipperary in the league. The players themselves felt gutted after it. It was one of the worst defeats they've ever had. Sixteen, seventeen points, Tipperary just walked through us like we weren't there. We had done a lot of physical stuff, we hadn't done any hurling at all really, and we were wondering then, will we ever be able to hurl at all. They worked very hard after that."

They worked so hard they qualified for the top phase of the second round of the league, giving a hitherto resurgent Offaly a bit of a pasting in the final-round game to do so. Eventually, they finished in the top-four. They confirmed their League form with a win over Offaly in the Leinster championship semi-final, but then came the spectre of Kilkenny.

Another fall, and given that they had really tested the Cats just weeks earlier in the final extra-round League game, a 0-23 to 2-17 draw in Nowlan Park, that one hurt.

The loss would have shattered a lesser team and a lesser manager, but since then, albeit after conceding big leads in both games, they have defeated Waterford and Antrim in the All-Ireland series, and with the semi-final against Cork to come this Sunday, are now right back in the hunt. Satisfying for any manager, even if he has spent more time in the cardiac-arrest zone than is healthy.

"Yes, that's four days we had to come back from big leads. Against Kilkenny, we were within a few points with eight minutes to go, but they got the goal again and swept us away. We were coming good, going bad, coming good, going bad, but we were fighting hard. Then came the goal, and that was it. We gave up the ghost.

"But I would say that game was just a blip in our performances. Prior to that we'd done quite well against Offaly, did well against Kilkenny in the last league game. We had also played some decent enough practice games. I don't know what happened."

A bit of experience has been brought back to the team with Larry Murphy and Larry O'Gorman and Wexford are now back on track. A lot like Cork, they are playing hurling in the image and likeness of their manager tough, hard-working, determined, professional, flair where needed, and only where needed.

Like Donal O'Grady, John Conran ended his playing days at full-back, though he did go on a little longer, retiring in 1999 at the age of 43 after the All-Ireland club final against St. Joseph's Doora-Barefield of Clare.

Tomorrow sees Conran back in Croke Park, facing Cork from the sideline. He's staying cool about it but this is one he would dearly love to win. He knows however, Wexford can't afford to continue doing what they've done so far in every championship game they've played allowing the opposition a head start. They recovered against Offaly, Waterford and Antrim, but it cost them dearly against Kilkenny. Conran ranks Cork right up there with the best.

"They are very good. They had their problems last year, but the pimple was squeezed around Christmas, and they've sorted themselves out and seem to be working extremely well under Donal O'Grady. He's a good guy who knows his hurling, is very professional and is after bringing a lot of character to this side. They overcame the challenge of Clare, played great stuff that day, then when their backs were to the wall against Waterford in the Munster final, they turned it around in the second half. A very, very good team."

In light of that Leinster final loss and Cork's Munster championship success, Wexford will go into this game as underdogs, a position that their manager isn't inclined to argue with.

"I suppose nobody ever does, it's probably the best way to go into a game. Then again we weren't favourites against Kilkenny either, and it didn't help us, we didn't perform. Cork are a good side, there's no doubt about it, we have a lot of problems still, a lot of areas that need improving from the last day, and that's being genuine and real about it."

No-one, not even a top professional like John Conran, really enjoys having those problems. "No, but sure maybe we'll call them challenges!"

For any Cork supporter, that has a far more ominous ring to it.