'We'll be disappointed if we don't' - Conor McHugh says Dublin hurlers can win Leinster

Dublin remain second in the overall roll of honour for the Leinster SHC, but with just one win since 1961.

Sat, 18 Apr, 2026 - 08:55

Kevin Egan

Already this week, Cork selector Ronan Currantarget="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> has said that the Rebel County could do with more help from their own pundits, Eoin Codytarget="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> mentioned the criticism that came in from some former Kilkenny greats after their heavy defeat to Galway in the league, while Tipp’s Ronan Maher spoke about the pressure of the public’s expectation, when it comes to becoming the first Tipperary team since 1964 and 1965 to go back-to-back.

The provincial hurling championships get underway today and tomorrow, and every team has their own pressures and background noise to negotiate.

Dublin remain second in the overall roll of honour for the Leinster SHC, but with just one win since 1961. As Kilkenny continue to struggle for form while a young Galway team is promising but unproven, the Boys in Blue are perceived to have as good a chances as they’ll ever get to take the Bob O’Keeffe Cup.

Not that the players will be listening to any of that, says Conor McHugh.

“It’s irrelevant, completely. It has to be,” the Na Fianna man said last week.

“Even family members when they try to talk to you about it, you'll talk to them obviously, but you're not going to be getting into too much detail. You have enough to be worrying about focusing on these players that you're coming up against, and that's where I put all my time.”

After spending seven years with the county senior footballers under Jim Gavin, winning four All-Ireland medals, McHugh knows more than most about blocking out the world in the goldfish bowl that is the intercounty GAA scene.

Gavin’s panels had an unparalleled culture of omerta, with nothing getting in or out of the dressing room.

Stephen Cluxton’s surprise comeback?

“Did he tell his wife? I wouldn't even know if he did to be honest,” smiles McHugh.

“That's just the environment I played in, we keep to ourselves, we worry about ourselves. There's no need to tell the media what we're doing.”

Reporters everywhere roll their eyes at reading something they all knew full well. The message was controlled, very carefully.

“I didn't do a whole lot of media when I was there and I remember I did an U-21 launch and I got a nice little briefing before of what to say, what not to say and I was like, all right I better not mess up here.”

In general, McHugh questions the value of those infamous ‘they’re laughing at ye’ type speeches from managers. Galway camogie manager Cathal Murray took it to a new extreme last Sunday, claiming that his All-Ireland champion team, 2/5 favourites with the bookies, were “written off” for their league final against Waterford.

In McHugh’s opinion, motivation has to come from within.

“Certain managers will do it to motivate lads, but I think at the end of the day lads don't really need motivation. If you need your manager to motivate you for a game I think you’d want to look at yourself a bit.

“You have all the motivation you need in the countless hours you put into it.”

While the culture of that Dublin football group was unmistakeable, McHugh is clearly very happy in his current environment, as he feels the hurlers deserve even more credit for their approach to the game, in the absence of tangible rewards.

“These players, they're great lads, I nearly wish I would have played longer with them.

“They love it, they're so dedicated. They've had tough days, but it doesn't seem to knock them, they love hurling, they love playing for Dublin, they come back every year just to try and achieve what we what we think we can achieve.” Which is?

“Our aim this year is to win the Leinster championship. I think we can, we have a strong panel this year and that's the aim, we'll be disappointed if we don't.

“We’ve a huge test (today) against Offaly, we had two very close games with them last year, both at home. In Tullamore, it’ll be a really tough contest”.