John Kiely: Do I back off the hard calls and have regrets later?

The decision to replace Limerick talisman Aaron Gillane in Sunday's Munster SHC final was one such difficult choice for the Treaty boss

CATCH YA SOON: Limerick's John Kiely and Cork's Ben O'Connor shake hands after the draining Munster SHC final at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Pic: Ray McManus/Sportsfile

Making hard calls is all part and parcel of a manager’s job. And as John Kiely pointed out, it is for the betterment of the team. The decision to substitute Aaron Gillane in Sunday's Munster SHC final was one such difficult choice when the former Hurler of the Year made way for Adam English in the 49th minute. The Patrickswell ace had been held scoreless.

“Do I back off it? Do I back off it and have the regret later on?” Kiely asked.

“The group is the group. The team is the team. It's not about individuals. I don't know what the minute count was that Aaron was on, probably 52. Maybe a bit more, I don't know. He had his opportunity.

“I don't want to go home regretting that I didn't use more of the lads that are behind me, that are playing well in training. It's a collective effort and they all understand that.

“Is Aaron inside there disappointed he was taken off? Of course he is deep down disappointed he was taken off. He would like to have contributed more and would have probably thought that he’d contribute more. But he understands that the fellas in the room with him are also there. They have to get their opportunity to contribute as well. It's a shared load.

“You don't count the games you're playing. You make the minutes that you're on the field count. If you're given five, you make the five count. If you're given 55, you make the 55 count. I think everybody inside there can be satisfied that they tried their absolute best to give it their all. I'm more than happy with that.

“Everybody worked very hard. Even the lads that didn't tog today. We recognised them at our pre-game meeting because they're the fuel that drives the machine forward. They challenge the lads that are on the panel to mind their place.

“They need to put everything on the table and the fellas on the bench have to push the fellas that are on the pitch. The power has to come from behind the group, through the group. Our 37 players are working incredibly hard to be that energy, to be that oxygen for the group to drive it forward.” 

There was one late change to the team with Shane O’Brien starting instead of Adam English. Kiely said it is not about fellas being dropped.

“No, not all. Again it's how do you want to start? How do you want to finish? (If) today is a day where it goes to extra-time, so you've got to use our resources in the best way we possibly can.

“We've rotated fellas over the last few weeks that you'll have seen. Ciano (Lynch) wasn’t on. Dan (Morrissey) wasn’t on. Mike Casey wasn't on. A number of fellas, David Reidy. There's a load of lads there, Tom Morrissey, that haven't been on at the start. Does it diminish their contribution? It certainly doesn't. It's just about using the resources that we have as a group in the best possible way.”