Coen charts Galway’s rise from dark days of 2015

SAYS GALWAY’S JOHNNY COEN

THE last time Johnny Coen jetted off to take part in an exhibition game at Fenway Park in Boston, Galway hurling was in a strange, awkward place.

In November 2015, the squad were only coming to terms with a dressing-room heave against manager Anthony Cunningham, the rumblings from an All-Ireland final defeat by Kilkenny still rolling on.

The sense of the unknown was such that kit man James ‘Tex’ O’Callaghan ended up helping to run the line for the AIG Fenway Classic, the modified 11-a-side game bringing a packed crowd to the iconic stadium.

Just to cap it all, the contest with Dublin made headlines mainly for the melee that broke out during the game, the visiting teams playing up to the ‘Fighting Irish’ stereotype.

That Galway won was almost lost in the fine print.

How do things stand now? Galway hurling could not be in a better place as the county prepares to head out for an expanded version of the tournament that includes Dublin along with 2016 All-Ireland champions Tipperary and that year’s National League winners Clare.

Johnny Coen has his All-Ireland medal and a 29-year gap has been bridged. The players’ stand justified? ‘At the time, we felt it was,’ said Coen, recalling that turbulent time. ‘That was it to be honest with you. It’s not as if we were looking back saying it was a fantastic decision or anything like that, it was something nobody wanted to go through. I would have worked with Anthony since Under 21 and he brought us to the All-Ireland and we won it in 2011 against Dublin. He’s given a lot to Galway hurling, he was a fantastic player as well, so I’d hope there’s no hard feelings.’

Coen acknowledges how tough a journey it has been from there to here, the pressure it brought on the players to deliver.

‘It brought us together as a group — it was one-in, all-in and we rallied together obviously but nobody really wanted to go through it. But the team felt it was the right thing to do.’

Mention of the dust-up last time out brings a sheepish smile to his face.

‘Yeah, we were told to promote the game. Look, no one went out with the intention of it happening. To be honest, it was an exhibition game, to promote the game, and that’s what we’re trying to do with the GPA, to promote the game in Boston.’

If there was a signature score in terms of Galway’s summer, it came in a rollicking semifinal against Tipperary in the shape of Joe Canning’s breath-taking winner. Crucially, it was Coen who won the ball out along the Cusack Stand touchline in injury time and had the smarts to recycle it to the right man.

‘My tongue was hanging out as well, it was the 74th minute. I was down on the 21 with a cramp and all of a sudden I had the ball that could have potentially won the match. I felt pressure on my left shoulder, Dan McCormack was chasing after me. ‘We are always speaking about the best position and to hold the ball and the game had gone into possession mode. When I turned around there was no better boy to give it to. I gave him the ball and he absolutely pinged it over the black spot. It was impeccable. It was perfect. ‘I was goosed and I remember thinking “get up, Tempers flare: Galway and Dublin hurlers get stuck in during the 2015 Fenway Hurling Classic in Boston (main) while Johnny Coen celebrates with the Liam MacCarthy Cup last month (left) SPORTSFILE get back” because the puck-out was coming. People talk about that point that could have won the All-Ireland and when you look back on it people will never forget it. It was a serious score.’

With Joe’s nephew Jack starring on the victorious Galway minor team, Coen admits a senior call-up could be on the cards.

‘He’s going to be 19 years of age next year. Micheál [Donoghue] is a good manager, he will weigh it up. There will be pros and cons to his game no doubt and if he has something to contribute, why not but it’s Michéal’s decision.’

It’s some of the old servants who missed out on a senior medal that were uppermost in Coen’s thoughts, former team-mates such as David Collins, Fergal Moore, Andy Smith and Damien Hayes. ‘Your heart would go out to them, I would have rung them up because they are good friends of mine and they would have helped me out throughout my career. Time moves on unfortunately. There will be a stage when this team will go and another team will come along and that’s how it is.’

As for putting titles back to back, just like Galway did in 1987-88?

‘It’s hard to win one, never mind two. The previous teams like Kilkenny and Cork would have had dominance in the 2000s and even in recent times as well. There’s a serious effort required; hopefully we can replicate what we did this year alright.

‘The people in Galway were delighted with the one.’