Enjoyment still the priority for Lynch after injury pain

PwC GAA/GPA Player of the Month for July in hurling, Cian Lynch of Limerick, with his award at PwC offices in Limerick. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

When Limerick vice-captain Cian Lynch dragged injured skipper Declan Hannon up the steps with him to accept the Liam MacCarthy Cup last month, he was returning a favour that gave Lynch an "unbelievable" moment that salvaged a difficult 2022, when he was ruled out of the final himself with an ankle complaint.

“I suppose once the final whistle went, your mind drifts to get myself going, start thinking about the speech and all that but I remembered last year after winning the All-Ireland, I wasn’t togged out and I was just walking around the pitch and Dec just grabbed me to pull me up the steps and I remember that moment was just unbelievable.

“Declan, the man he is, thinks of these things and it’s a credit to him, an absolute role model. After the final whistle I said, ‘You know what now, it’s time to bring Dec up here as well and return the favour’.

“I just thought it was special to bring him up those steps because I know how hard it is not to tog out on the day and not be able to put on the jersey on that day but to have him there beside me lifting the cup was just so special.” 

The PwC hurler of the year for July, Lynch’s achievements in recent weeks are a far cry from 2022 when he found himself coping for most of the season. Coping with a hamstring issue in the Munster SHC Round 2 game against Waterford. then the ankle setback having returned to the squad.

Those injuries sent him to places he had never previously experienced. “I was always very lucky growing up and thank God I was injury free. It was kind of the first time I ever experienced not being able to go out and train with the lads or play a match.

“I suppose that does take its toll as well and anybody who has ever experienced injury, people looking from the outside in just see you showing up on the match day, you are there but you are not togged out.

“But there is a lot of work goes on behind the scenes to try get your head right because sport is a massive outlet obviously for a break from your normal day, coming from work, training is a good release so when you don’t have that you realise how much you miss it.” 

Another niggle in the same hamstring surfaced against Clare in the Munster SHC Round 2 game and he didn’t start again until the All-Ireland semi-final. He knows he needs to be vigilant about it.

“You'd always be aware. When you've had two injuries, like, the hamstring was 12 weeks, three months, then the ankle was kind of another three to four months after that, after the operation. So obviously subconsciously in your mind you're worried and probably a bit paranoid that, 'Oh no, is something going to happen here now?'” 

The 27-year-old always appreciated that hurling is a game to be cherished and being away from the action for so long only deepened his affection for it.

John Kiely spoke recently of how Lynch was great at putting some pep in his fellow players heading to the big game in Dublin. “I’d say I’d be annoying lads on the way up on the train. No all you want to do is… I always say we’re playing a sport we grew up playing because we loved it, so for me personally I want to keep enjoying it and keep playing and make sure that the lads around you are enjoying it and remember why you are playing the sport, you love it and it’s a hobby at the end of the day so you have to enjoy doing what you are doing.”