Moran: Cork defeat was the kick in the backside we needed

OLLIE MORAN doesn’t want to end his career without winning at least a Munster hurling championship medal.

However, he accepts the prospects of it happening this year – in what he indicated in Dublin yesterday will be his ‘last hurrah’ – may not be the brightest based on their heavy recent defeat against Cork in a challenge game.

“After being on the end of a drubbing like that you don’t feel too good, you don’t feel too good about yourself,’’ he commented.

“Cork are a good bit ahead of us in their preparation. They showed that. They racked up 32 points and beat us by 14, so I think it was the kick in the backside maybe that we needed.

“We realise that if they’re setting the standard we’re a long way off the standard at the moment.’’

Moran has been a regular since being introduced following the 1996 All-Ireland defeat to Wexford, acknowledging that he has had ‘a fair repertoire’ of managers over this period – including Eamonn Cregan, who coached the Offaly squad which won the ‘94 title against Limerick in sensational fashion.

Whatever about the way he has distinguished himself (in a variety of positions), he has had no success in real terms other than a League medal in 1997.

He was on the losing side in two Munster finals, most recently in 2007 against Waterford – which was followed by defeat at the hands of Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final.

Asked if he had ever despaired of winning something ‘real,’ he responded: “I got panicky a long time ago ... It’s like anything else – a search for the ‘Holy Grail.’ At this stage I’m probably running out of years to keep on going. I think we have a reasonably fair draw this year and if we can get over Waterford we’re going into a Munster final as underdogs and we’d have a great chance.’’

He admitted he had given serious consideration about giving up, but said new manager Justin McCarthy’s encouragement had been a key factor in giving a commitment for one final year.

“To be fair, I thought long and hard over the winter. I think my gut feeling at that stage was to call it a day but I spoke to Justin on several occasions and he’s a very persuasive guy.

“At this point in time, this is probably my last hurrah. A Munster Championship would be a great way to bow out. You’d like to bow out on a positive more than anything. I have 12 or 13 years behind me and no Munster medal yet and it’s a very poor reflection on a hurling career.’’

Moran, with former captain Mark Foley the longest serving member of the current squad, added: “I’m 34 at this stage of my career and I don’t know how many more years they’ll keep on rolling me out at this stage. You don’t know from one year to another but I suppose the way I’m looking at it I’d be fairly sure that this is going to be my last year.’’

If you ask him for his explanation for what happened last year – a disastrous League campaign and an early exit from the championship – he says that their approach was no different than what it had been in 2007 when they made it to the All-Ireland final for the first time in 11 years.

“Definitely we set out with the best intentions,’’ he said. “We didn’t train any less hard last year than we did any other year but if there was one thing I would have said, there was just flatness in the panel more so than the management.’’

Without in any way diminishing the contribution of former manager Richie Bennis, he says the players appreciate the input from McCarthy in the short time he has been with him.

“He’s a very, very enthusiastic guy, a passionate hurling man,’’ Moran said.

“He loves his hurling and he loves training teams. He definitely has been successful with a good share of the teams that he’s been with and I think it’s great to have access to that level of experience. He’s experienced all the big days as a manager and a player so from that point of view it’s great to be privy to that.”