‘He knew exactly what to do’- Why Shane Dowling deliberately pucked the ball out for a sideline

KNEW WHAT TO DO: Na Piarsaigh goalkeeper Shane Dowling celebrates after his side's victory in the Limerick County Senior Club Hurling Championship final between Na Piarsaigh and Patrickswell at the TUS Gaelic Grounds in Limerick. Pic:Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

After Na Piarsaigh captain Mike Casey climbed the steps in the Gaelic Grounds, he spelt out precisely how long it took for them to defend their crown and the extensive backroom team that helped them do it.

“It has been 38 weeks to get to where we are,” the victorious captain declared. “Shane O’Neill and the boys gathered us all together and posed a question, ‘This is on us. We have the talent. We have the work. Can we go out and produce it?’ “To Shane O, his backroom team. I’ll probably forget a load of lads, John, Lukasz, Alan, Damien, all the boys in stats, Barry, Ben, all the rest of the guys that go unnoticed, thanks very much.” 

It was January when the county champions confirmed former player O’Neill had returned for a second spell as manager. He had previously led them to an All-Ireland title in 2016 and back to the decider two years later, before leaving to take over Galway.

He brought former team-mate John Fitzgerald with him. Fitzgerald was once manager of Limerick’s U21s and there he came across strength & conditioning coach Lukasz Kirszenstein. The Polish native later joined Galway having worked with Tipperary during their 2016 All-Ireland SHC success, his fourth season with the county.

Fitzgerald was back on the line alongside O’Neill on Saturday. Kirzenstein is on the ticket too. As is Galway All-Ireland winner Colm Callanan, Na Piarsaigh’s current goalkeeper coach. What else did O’Neill bring back with him from Galway?

In November 2020, O’Neill’s Galway met Tipperary in the same stadium. They led the quarter-final by a point in extra-time, needing to manage out the game and the clock. Eanna Murphy had the ball in his hands for a puckout and deliberately drove it deep into the openside stand. Straight out for a sideline.

Galway then reset behind the ball and used the break to mark every man. Ronan Maher opted to drive it long, Gearóid McInerney won the ball and seconds later Galway had a free. They ran out two-point winners.

On Saturday night, Na Piarsaigh led by four in extra-time when Shane Dowling stood over a puckout. Patrickswell were refusing to give in, pelting ball towards Aaron Gillane and Cian Lynch on the edge of the square. Eventually, a long delivery broke for John Flynn to flick over. Dowling took his time and then drilled a ball into the same openside stand. A nearby hurley carrier hopped the wire in desperate search of it. Before the ball had even crossed the line, Peter Casey was jogging back the field to their set defence.

Nigel Foley was eventually forced to go long. Cian Lynch won the ball in a ruck but was immediately bottled up and conceded a free. The final whistle sounded shortly after.

“We were in the same dressing room actually,” O’Neill recalled when asked about the strategy. “Yeah, time is virtually up. Earlier on in one of the championship matches we made a mistake and kept it alive, the game was up. So, it is nearly a kick-for-touch in a way. They are pinned in. It is a kick for touch which you wouldn’t normally associate with hurling. It has worked twice.” 

How much work do opposition teams invest in long frees or sidelines? Deliberately putting the ball out exposes that. A major part of coaching has always been planning for different scenarios. Managing a red card, an extra player, a slim lead.

“We try different things,” explained O’Neill. “Other things don’t work. We were delighted overall, but Shane has that in-game intelligence. We called in and he knew exactly what to do.”