Signs of recovery after Shannonside storm

2010 was a year to forget for Limerick hurling, the county convulsed by the controversy that saw its senior hurling team drastically diminished by cuts and withdrawals.

Could it be though that 2011 will be the year that Limerick hurling makes a comeback?

Certainly the evidence of last weekend would suggest that whatever about the top level (and under new manager Donal O’Grady, there are green shoots there also), hurling at underage is in a very healthy state in the county.

County secretary Mike O’Riordan: “Even at the height of the controversy last year I was saying to people, look at our underage, the colleges, they are the future. In the Fitzgibbon Cup final last weekend we had nine players, seven with LIT and two with UL, Seamus Hickey starting and Thomas O’Brien coming on to score the crucial goal; in the semi-finals we had another six, Tommy Quaid with CIT and five with UCC.

“In the final of the Ryan Cup (division two colleges) we had nine players with Tralee IT. Then you had the Harty Cup final, won by Árd Scoil Rís, 12 of those from Limerick. They beat Charleville CBS, who also had several Limerick players, those are great numbers.”

It’s not been by accident either, says O’Riordan, but the result of good planning by Limerick County Board. “It started four years ago at U14 and progressed up through the age groups — that was at county level. The next step was to develop the clubs and we did this using Lifting The Treaty, a plan developed by and for the county.

“We were a few years before our time — Croke Park followed suit two years later with the Go Games policy but we had already implemented that. Then we looked at the infrastructure, and Rathkeale is now being further developed as a Centre of Excellence.

“There are three G-Synthetic pitches there, five new hurling fields, a new complex and stand being developed this year. Our coaching and & games department are moving out to UL’s new €40m development in September; all our coaching staff will be based there and they can avail of the expertise that’s been developed in UL, the dieticians, the sports psychologists, the core development trainers and so on.”

Welcoming them with open arms to UL is Knockainey’s Ger Cunningham, All-Ireland winning coach with Newtownshandrum, involved this year with both the UL Fitzgibbon Cup team and with the Limerick minors. “I’m a member of staff here, Outdoor Sports Manager, and it’s about time Limerick GAA started using these facilities — Munster Rugby have been successful out of here for the past several years. You have everything you need here in one place, top-class facilities.”

Progress then, in Limerick, all started just four years ago but already bearing fruit. “That’s right,” says Ger: “Shane Fitzgibbon was the man who really started things rolling and he did tremendous work. He put a system in place, got a lot of ex-players involved, like Frankie Carroll, Mike Galligan, James Moran, Natal O’Grady. Then he got some coaches in to coach them — everything was done properly. We have a very good strength and & conditioning programme set out now for all the underage teams from 14s up, and that’s an important area as well.”

Of course none of this would be worth a damn if it weren’t for the most crucial element of all, the players themselves, and here, says Mike O’Riordan, there’s been a quantum change in attitude since the days of the fast-fading All-Ireland Under-21 three-in-a-row success.

“Young people have changed dramatically over the last decade — the mentality, the psyche, is different. They want to be the best at what they’re doing and they will leave no stone unturned to get there.

“My own club, Kilmallock — we won the county last year and where before that would have meant a week on the drink, they celebrated for a couple of nights and that was it, back training again straight away.”

Sentiments echoed by Ger Cunningham: “I’ve found also they’re a different breed. When I was growing up we weren’t as driven as the young people today. It’s a pleasure to work with them; they’re so determined, so driven, it’s almost frightening.”

Limerick hurling, on the up.