Cregan’s way transforms Lixnaw

EAMONN CREGAN never imagined a few months ago he would be managing a team, least of all a Kerry club hurling side.

After all, he hadn’t been very active in recent times, other than coaching in Mary Immaculate (training college) at night while his previous forays into the Kingdom hadn’t been encouraging. But, he allowed himself to be persuaded to take over Lixnaw and a successful campaign sees them participating in the AIB Munster club championship tomorrow, at home to Clare champions Tulla (Lixnaw, 2.30pm).

The approach from Lixnaw in June “came out of the blue”, he says, initially turning it down.

Said Cregan: “It was a commitment I wasn’t prepared to give, but the club chairman eventually talked me into it. When I went down to Lixnaw I knew they were one of the stronger clubs. I didn’t know that they would be county potential, although the chairman said they had. So, it was a case of look and learn — and listen.”

After the early sessions they played a few league matches and won. He began to see they might have potential after all. On the other hand, he wasn’t happy with their style of play. They had got into the habit of a lot of teams — “it happens a lot in hurling” — of overusing the hand-pass.

Accordingly, he put a strong emphasis on the team playing more direct hurling and impressed upon the forwards the importance of defending when they were not in possession. He was conscious that players had a dual involvement with (county finalists) Feale Rangers — with about nine of them in the squad. And, Paul Galvin was tied up with Kerry footballers.

“After they played Crotta, the other side of the parish, they qualified for the semi-final against Causeway. The players felt they could easily beat them, but they didn’t. They didn’t play well, but coming up to the final you got the sense that they were focusing on the job at hand.

“Eamonn Fitzmaurice at centre-field was the rock on which they rallied around. Once he started to talk, the players started to listen. And, I listened to him because what he was saying was common sense. We tried to play a very simple game. Everybody defends and we use the open spaces as much as possible — and play a direct route into the goals.’’

Galvin didn’t start in the county final against Kilmoyley (who were coached by Anthony Daly), but Cregan introduced him five minutes into the second half. It was his first match back after the All-Ireland campaign and he made an immediate impact.

“He ran a short distance with the ball, then he turned on his left side and — from about 50 yards out and about five yards in from the sideline — he put the ball over the bar. It was a tremendous boost and the team went from strength to strength after that. Kilmoyley had some very good players, the likes of Shane Brick and Ian Brick. We just had to keep them under control and we did.’’

In the run-up to this game, the team has suffered a setback with the loss of key forward Mike Conway who is ruled out after surgery on his wrist. A Kerry senior, Cregan describes him as “a fabulous player, one of the mainstays of our full-forward line.’

“Up to last week we would have said we had a reasonably good chance, but after losing the best player we have, the odds have lengthened. And Tulla would certainly be favourites being from a strong hurling county.’’

Either way, he expects Tulla will be even better than they were in the Clare decider, when bidding for their first title in 73 years, they saw a Crusheen.

“Now that Tulla have won a title the shackles are off their back. Now they can go out and express themselves,’’ said Cregan.

The prize for the winners is a date with Waterford’s champions on November 18.