Craig Leahy: 'If you’re not putting pressure on yourself to deliver, I don’t think you’re doing it right'

Sars may have racked up four titles in seven seasons when they were last the dominant force in Cork.

PRESSURE: Craig Leahy with possession for Sars iagainst Na Piarsaigh. Picture: Larry Cummins

Sixteen years ago, Craig Leahy was at the other end of it all. After winning a minor county in 2007 he was thrown into deep end of senior hurling the following year along with Conor O’Sullivan and Daniel Kearney. They did more than survive, they thrived as Sarsfields won a first senior county title since 1957. By the time he hit 25 he’s three more medals jangling in his back pocket, and then there was nothing, until last year. What has made the past two years so different from the middle age of his career?

“I just think it’s the influx of young players. The core of the team now all have U21 counties. They won one in 2019 against Midleton, and they won a few minors as well, so the team is really being driven by the likes of Cian Darcy, Eoin Murphy and all of that age-group and even Colm and Cathal McCarthy and Luke Elliot.