Cronin’s Midas touch can yield more gold

JOHN CRONIN showed he had the Midas touch when he took over the management of the Cork senior camogie team and guided them to success last year.

Having previously achieved the distinction of leading the county to five All-Ireland minor titles in six years, he returns to Croke Park tomorrow for the All-Ireland senior camogie championship decider against Tipperary, hoping to continue his good luck.

“We were working with a good team and we always felt we had a good chance of winning the championship. When it came to the final, we were in with a great shout coming up towards the end of the game,’’ he recalled.

“In the 58th minute, we were down a point and at that stage we would have gladly settled for a draw. But we got five points in injury time.

“That was great shooting. If the game went on another 10 minutes or so we could have won by more because there was tremendous hunger in the team to win it. Remember, Tipp had beaten us in the last two finals before that.’’

He agrees that Tipperary should have “the same hunger” this time, but. Cork won’t lack motivation either.

“We’re out to prove that we were not a one-year wonder. We’re coming back to retain our title,” he said.

The Cork squad includes seven dual players, with four of the ladies’ senior football team starting — Angela Walsh, Briege Corkery, Mary O’Connor and Rena Buckley.

Last year, Cronin and football manager Eamonn Ryan worked closely together in a bid to limit the pressure on the girls involved with both, and it worked to perfection.

Explained Cronin: “Having the ladies’ football team coming through last Saturday in their All-Ireland semi -final is a big help psychologically. It creates a winning mentality. Hopefully we can repeat that on Sunday.’’

He acknowledges that losing three of last year’s team — including former captain Stephanie Dunlea — may make it more difficult for them.

“Stephanie was a great player, but injuries caught up with her in the finish. We have also lost our full-back from last year, Rosarie Holland, who went to Australia, and Vivienne Harris who retired.’’

The team’s form was ‘topsy-turvy’ over their five games in the round robin series, he says.

“We’ll have to ‘up’ our game at least 30% if we are to succeed. We met Tipperary in the last round and they beat us by four points.

“Earlier on we beat them in the league final by two points, but really, there’s nothing between the teams. There won’t be the puck of a ball between us.

“It will be all on the day, what goes right — or what goes wrong. One mistake can cost you the match.’’