Mulroy eyeing positive start to campaign
ALLIANZ LEAGUE PREVIEW Hurling manager feels better prepared
LOUTH hurlers also begin their league campaign this Sunday in Division 3A. They’ll be at home in Darver against Tyrone and manager Paul McCormack in his second season in charge, is certainly feeling better prepared in his role after an extensive look at the local scene.
‘Absolutely a bit more comfortable knowing the players a lot better,’ McCormack revealed.
‘Last season we were competitive enough in the league, we stayed up. As the championship came to us we definitely improved and we sort of ran out of games. We found ourselves on the wrong end of the playoff but we wet to all the club championship matches. Myself, and the selectors tried to identify players who we thought could add addition to the squad. We’ve freshened the squad up a bit.
‘We’ve added to the squad and some players back who were there in the past and the have trained well pre christmas. We were in a great competition in Ulster, the McGurk cup and then we played a number of challenge matches as well,’ McCormack continued.
‘So hopefully the preparations pay off for the lads, they put a good effort in and we’d be delighted to get off to a good start here now against Tyrone (Sunday).
One of the main strengths for McCormack is the mix of his squad
od balance of players coming back and a good mix of youth.
‘Shane Callan has come back and got himself in serious shape. Andrew Mackin has rejoined the panel there which has given us more options he’s a smart player and matured a bit.
‘Then we have some of the younger lads from Naomh Moninne and St. Fechins too. Thats added real bite to the squad in terms of competition for places so thats one of our strengths comp for places and old heads who has been about the block, advising and encouraging the younger fellas.’
McCormack’s side won only one game in the league last season against Lancashire and with the english side relegated does the Keady native feel the pressure to consolidate more so with the comfort blanket removed.
‘Always pressure,’ McCormack states.
‘Last year I didn’t look at that. I think every game is there to be won thats the mentality I am trying to instil into the lads. In this competition, we’re in 3A, on any given day any team can beat anybody else.
‘It is about who makes the least mistakes and takes their chances. so we’ll be looking at Tyrone first and foremost, get a good performance and the result will after itself.’
LOUTH forward Sam Mulroy is a busy man these days - but that suits the Monasterboice star just fine.
Besides the commitments that come with being an inter-county player, the DKIT student has an important Trench Cup on Wednesday afternoon, just days before the National League opener against Longford.
And to top it all off, Mulroy has launched his own fitness class in recent weeks too.
‘It’s a nice distraction,’ he says with a wry smile. ‘The classes are along the strength and conditioning side of things. I did my placement up in Sport Ireland with Graham Byrne (the former Louth fitness coach). I was there for three months before Christmas, so I got a big insight into what is going on and it was the perfect pathway for me.’
Getting back to on-field matters and the looming league campaign, Mulroy’s eyes narrow as he displays his winning mentality.
‘You go out to win every game, so why not say we’re going to be promoted,’ Mulroy declares.
‘If we go off something like we did last year, where we took every game as it came. We had a bad start and picked up a few wins and next minute you’re in contention for it, so why not. We’re focusing on winning every game.
‘Wayne spoke about it with us, and it’s about performances, we’re looking for performances. That’s the main thing. It definitely won’t be easy. There is a lot of good teams in Division 3. People are saying it is probably tougher than Division 2!
‘We’re going to be up against it, but nearly everyone is on a level playing field. Tough games but hopefully a few good performances will give us enough points to put us in a position to go for promotion.’
In Mulroy’s opinion, more could be done to help add some glamour to the lower Divisions and he wasn’t afraid to pitch a few ideas himself.
‘It is one of the biggest competitions for us so maybe it should be prioritised a little bit more. In terms of media coverage, you don’t see too many games on the telly, especially in Division 2 or 3 or even 4. So you get to see the same teams and the same players each year which maybe isn’t fair but that’s the whole nature of being in Division 3.’
Sunday’s opponents Longford come into the game as O’Byrne cup champions having collected the title for the first time in 20 years. Mulroy feels regardless of silverware the extended pre-season run could count for very little come Sunday at 2pm.
‘It could stand to them it might not,’ he says defiantly. ‘They could be fresh, they could pick up injuries, you don’t know what is going to happen.
‘But we’re not focusing on them at all to be honest. It will be a big game,in the first game of the league it’s always important to get two points and get off to a good start. Obviously Longford then in the championship as well, so it will be a good match.’