Cahill hoping to lead ‘sleeping giant’ Rynagh’s back to glory

Dinny Cahill just ‘loves the buzz’.

And his unbelievable hurling journey has certainly not reached its final destination. Tomorrow in O’Connor Park, Tullamore, the Tipperary coaching maestro will be aiming to lead a sleeping giant back to the winner’s enclosure in Offaly.

His St Rynagh’s charges, seeking a first county title since 1993, face Danny Owens’ Kilcormac/Killoughey who are bidding for a maiden success.

St Rynagh’s were champions 16 times between 1965 and ’93 and are hungry to reclaim the coveted Sean Robbins Cup.

“Youth is everything. We have a new bunch of players trying to carve out their own identity,” declared Cahill, whose management set-up includes 1998 All-Ireland winning captain Hubert Rigney, All-Ireland minor medal winner Roy Mannion and former M Donnelly Poc Fada king, Albert Kelly.

Cahill won an All-Ireland club medal with his native Kilruane MacDonagh’s in 1986, defeating Blackrock and Buffers Alley along the way. He was coach with Portumna when they overwhelmed Birr in the 2008 final and in the quarter-final of this campaign, St Rynagh’s achieved a significant win as they comprehensively dethroned defending county champions and All-Ireland finalists Coolderry (0-15 to 1-7) whom Cahill also previously managed.

“That victory didn’t shock us. We set our sights on that game. Coolderry didn’t have a good day and we didn’t let them.

In 1996 Cahill steered Tipperary to a 2-14 to 2-12 All-Ireland minor final replay victory over Galway so he knows how to cajole young players to perform to their optimum.

“We’ve many young players who have tasted minor and U21 success. They’ve knuckled down and every time you get a win under your belt it gives you confidence. Some had the Leaving Cert to sit and some had third level exams. They did them and came back to the hurling field with a smile on their face.”

Cahill managed Doon of Limerick and Graigue-Ballycallan in Kilkenny, while he had two stints as Antrim manager (2001-’05 and ’09-’11) and in between took charge of Laois (2005-’06) and he also assisted Michael Johnston in the Armagh set-up. Clocking up that mileage hasn’t inhibited his desire and crusade for success.

“We all have means of expressing our madness and my method is on a hurling field. I just love the buzz you get out of the game and when you see players improving you get a buzz from that too. Every day you go out to play, new tactics will crop up but the result will always be the same with the best hurlers and teams coming to the top.”

St Rynagh’s is steeped in tradition and the current side has many links with the club’s glorious past. Full-forward Diarmuid Horan, who is battling to shrug off injury, is son of 1981 All-Ireland winning captain Pádraig while Gary Conneely, scorer of 1-3 in their 3-12 to 0-15 semi-final win over Shinrone and midfielder Nigel White are sons of All-Ireland SHC medal winners, Micheal and Seanie, respectively.

Pat Camon, team captain Conor Hernon and Stephen Wynne are key defenders for St Rynagh’s and they’ll be aiming to thwart the influence of Kilcormac/Killoughey’s Daniel Currams, Conor Mahon and Ciaran Slevin.

Both teams will be pushing hard and as they say the best horse will jump the ditch, concluded Cahill.”