Meyler to lead Cork
Wexfordman gets Senior hurling job
FORMER WEXFORD manager and player John Meyler is the new Cork Senior hurling boss.
Meyler’s appointment was announced on Thursday afternoon, and he is taking over from Kieran Kingston.
The Tracton man did not seek a second term, having completed two years, owing to work commitments. Meyler was a selector with Kingston while also served as Cork Under-21 hurling manager this year.
Meyler has extensive experience at club level, leading a number of teams to success in both Cork and Kerry, while he also served as manager of Wexford, Kerry and Carlow.
Cork G.A.A. Chairman, Gerard Lane, revealed that the reason Meyler was offered the role was to ensure continuity in the county.
And while the St. Finbarr’s man admitted he thought he’d have to wait longer for the role, he insisted that he’s ready now.
‘I was in charge of the Under-21s this year and felt I would probably have to do another year or two years with the lads who were with me and then possibly if Kieran (Kingston) was moving on,’ he said.
‘But then Kieran left. His twoyear term was up this year so he created a vacancy and the County Board asked me to take it on. That’s how it happened and we’ll go forward from here.’
Meyler revealed that he had to take a step back and consider whether or not to take the role because of the pressure involved, but added that the potential within the Cork side convinced him to make the step-up.
‘You have to give it serious consideration because of the pressure on inter-county managers today. It goes on the individual, on the family, on your work situation and they’re extremely challenging.
‘You have to be ready to do that and you have to work it out and plan it out. You really have to sit down and think about it and it’s not just about me, it’s about the team that’s around me,’ Meyler added.
‘It’s about the selectors, the coaches, the medical staff, they’re critical on inter-county duty, they’re probably more critical than me because they have massive input. What we’re trying to do is get the best out of everyone, as we have a plethora of talent in Cork at the moment.’
The 61-year-old south Wexford man, born in Tacumshane in 1956, the year of Wexford’s famous hurling breakthrough, has enjoyed a massive career both on an off the pitch.
He played his initial hurling and football with Our Lady’s Island while winning a county Senior football championship medal with Wexford District in 1977 as a wing-forward.
He went on to play dual inter-county for Wexford in all grades, before college and work commitments took him to Cork where he joined up with the famous St. Finbarr’s club. His inter-county career began in 1973 as a member of the Wexford Minor hurling team, and over the following decade he lined out as a dual player in Minor, Under-21 and Senior.
In 1983 he joined the Cork Senior hurling team where he enjoyed his greatest success as a member of the All-Ireland winning squad, while he also won Oirechtas medals.
He was an All-Ireland winning captain with St. Finbarr’s, while he also won two Cork Senior football championship medals along with five Cork Senior hurling championship medals.
John will also be remembered in Wexford for his contribution as Senior hurling manager, taking the county to an All-Ireland semi-final against Kilkenny in 2007, and then a quarter-final against Waterford and a single point defeat in 2008, with the Deise county going on to lose the final to Kilkenny.
Unfortunately, Meyler was not afforded the respect his contribution to Wexford G.A.A. and the Senior hurling team he deserved.
Following that Waterford defeat, then County Chairman, Ger Doyle, and current Secretary, Margaret Doyle, travelled to Dungarvan to sack the Our Lady’s Island man, a decision that led to fury at the following month’s County Board meeting and that still reverberates through the G.A.A. in the county.
It has been a wonderful few weeks for the new Cork manager as his son, David, captained the Republic of Ireland through two World Cup games and a place in the play-offs next month where they will try to secure their passage through to the finals in Russia next year.
Meyler will return to his native soil in the new year when he will take Cork into battle in the Allianz League against his former county at Innovate Wexford Park on Sunday, February 4.
No doubt Wexford supporters will give him a warm and deserved welcome.