‘The U17s and Lory Meagher wins are stepping stones for the future’
and there is a lot more being put into training and so forth.
“The schools too have really grown, last year we had the first Summerhill senior hurling team and they won a competition in Mayo which was a big plus.
“I think someone said to me that when I started a few years ago there was something like 7 or 8 schools in the Cumann na mBunscol, now it is 22 or 23 and there is now 10 juvenile clubs as well so that is great to see.
“Things are definitely going in the right direction. When I was there in Sligo I suppose what I wanted was to put a few structures in place to make it enjoyable for kids wanting to play hurling.”
The Galway native admitted one of the biggest things to grasp was the amount of different sports being played in Sligo.
“It took me awhile to get to grasp after coming to Sligo that there are so many sports.
“Back in Galway in my days there, it was football and hurling and soccer in school.
“In Sligo there is gymnastics, table tennis, basketball, you name it! It took awhile to get used to that, players missing training because they had another game on,” Benny said.
Sport was always a big part in Benny’s life and after school he studied Sport & Recreation in Waterford before then doing a degree in Fitness.
He laughed: “I’ve travelled a lot of Ireland, from Galway went to school in Offaly, college in Waterford then coached in Sligo and now I’m in Carlow, most people go travelling to Australia.
“After college I was back in Galway for about 9 months or that and doing a bit of coaching there. I’m from a village called Laurencetown near Ballinasloe. Soon after the job in Sligo came up and I decided to put in my CV and got it.
“That was 2012. I suppose at the time I didn’t know if coaching was what I was going to do but the job came up and I said it might be a bit of craic and that I would give it a go.
“I initially thought I would do it for a year or so but one thing led to another and I stayed 6 years.
“I really enjoyed my time in Sligo and will definitely keep in touch with everyone, I have made friends for life there. It is great to leave on good terms and I felt now was the right time for me to move onto something different.
“In Carlow the seniors are going well having won the Joe McDonagh cup recently. I am involved with the U15s which is a bit of a change from Sligo when I was with the seniors, U21s, U17s, U15s, U14s and schools,” he laughed.
“It has been going well so far and I’m settling in now. The cúl camps have started so it has been all about the suncream and water breaks but it’s all good craic,” Benny added.
His enthusiasm and drive for hurling has certainly left a lasting impression in Sligo as Benny now turns his focus to a new county in Carlow.