Kevin Downes: 'Of course you miss it but there were times it was mental torture'

John Kiely “didn’t sugarcoat it”, Kevin Downes recalls of their conversation in November 2019. He wouldn’t be part of Limerick’s plans in 2020

Kevin Downes, centre, and Aaron Gillane celebrate Limerick's 2018 All-Ireland victory with supporters. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

John Kiely “didn’t sugarcoat it”, Kevin Downes recalls of their conversation in November 2019. Downes wouldn’t have wanted him to. The pill just had to be swallowed. He wouldn’t be part of Limerick’s plans in 2020. And so, having just turned 28, he was onto the WhatsApp group to say his goodbyes.

“You hear everyone talking about leaving the WhatsApp group and that’s exactly it, you put your message up saying ‘best of luck’ and you’re gone. It’s as cold as that. Case closed. You’d go back in a heartbeat but I was 28 when I spoke to John that time so I wasn’t going to say I was retiring, even though it was highly unlikely I was going to be called back at that time.” 

So much of his time under Kiely felt like playing catch-up. In the manager’s first season in 2017, Downes was recovering from a cruciate operation. The following season, Na Piarsaigh’s two All-Ireland final clashes ate into Limerick’s year. His last appearance came against Tipperary in the second round of the 2019 league.

“The last couple of years with Limerick were very difficult. People ask ‘do you miss it?’ and of course you miss it but there were times there not making the 26 and it was mental torture, like. Heartbreaking stuff. You’re questioning everything then trying to improve and that’s a very difficult place to be.” 

Not being able to go to shout them on last year might have helped in a way but living with Mike Casey, Downes was never going to go cold turkey. 

“What are you going to do, not talk to the guys because they’re in with Limerick? Now you’re conscious not to nag them about who’s going well and you have to keep your distance. We’re all very close. You want to see them succeed so you’d be there in your supporter role.

“Last year, that was taken out of my hands and it wasn’t a case of sulking or being downbeat at home, it was just I and everyone else couldn’t go to games. The second year removed, there are new lads on the panel and the whole thing is evolving even more. To borrow the Love Island phrase, it is what it is.” 

Downes doesn’t like to think a full return to Na Piarsaigh was something to fall back on. Having such a high-achieving club to return to was a blessing, though. 

“A lot of people say, ‘You must have loads of time’ but club hurling now is where inter-county was a few years ago in that you’re out five nights a week. Great set-up, great bunch even without the Limerick crew there and you were just trying to push that on coming back from Limerick. You’d get the kick from the seven Limerick lads coming back but the group was strong anyway and it did help soften the blow.

“I’m also coaching the club’s U15s with Tommy Grimes. Had them since they were 11. Mike and Peter Casey are with the 14s. It is great and it builds a connection with the under-age. It’s important to do that in a city club.” 

Downes does miss how Limerick constantly pushed themselves but also knew how to enjoy themselves. As it did in 2018, the ice-cream van has made a return to Limerick training. 

“Limerick eat ice-creams and it’s nearly like ‘that’s how you win an All-Ireland’,” he laughs. “Sometimes you can get too serious and it is taken so serious now that it’s almost beyond belief but you have to enjoy the thing.

“In fairness to the set-up, they don’t lose sight of that and Caroline (Currid) would probably drive that the most because if you’re giving up that much time you have to have fun. If it’s serious all the time, lads are going to blow up.” 

Ten years ago under Donal O’Grady, Downes rattled the net seven times for Limerick and now that O’Grady is back involved with Cork he knows they won’t be unprepared for Sunday. 

“He didn’t have to lay down a law but he established the standards for what was effectively a new crop. Everyone got a jolt from him, a ‘this is where we need to be’ sort of thing. You have to be wary of Cork when he’s there.” 

At least Limerick will have Peter Casey available, Downes one relieved man when his friend’s suspension from the All-Ireland semi-final win over Waterford was overturned. 

“I was above in Croke Park with my brother Tomás. Things were going great, we were going to win the game and as soon as Peter got the red card I pulled the hat over my face.

“Straight away, it overshadowed the whole day. It was an awful thing to happen. It’s been said Peter is not that type of player and he is so far removed from that, he’s the ultimate ball player. You can imagine the treatment he would get and we would be well used to throwing an old swipe but Petey just wouldn’t react. I didn’t know what to say to Mike.

“Everybody has great time for Petey and he has no airs or graces. He’s having a brilliant year. That was the killing thing. He came on in 2018, didn’t start last year, and now he’s hurling really well. You’d be just so happy that he got off.”