Irish Daily Star - Inside Sport
FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BRAVE
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JOE Fortune could sense a quiet determination and drive in the man sitting opposite him, sharing breakfast.
Across the table at DCU that morning was a man few would have recognised back then, but one who has since risen to the top of Irish sport — John Kiely.
Fortune’s Dublin under-21s had just played Kiely’s Limerick under-21s in a challenge.
Kiely would win an All-Ireland under-21 title with Limerick in 2015, while Fortune helped Dublin to a Leinster title in 2016.
The duo have gone off on different pathways since then, with Fortune managing Ballyboden St Enda’s to a Dublin title and taking over as Westmeath manager last year.
Kiely moved into the Limerick senior ranks and duly went on to land four All-Ireland titles in his six years in charge to date.
Tomorrow his three-in-a-row Liam MacCarthy cup holders go head to head with Fortune’s Westmeath at Cusack Park.
“I know John from the time he had Limerick under-21s,” says Fortune..
“At the time I think the Limerick (senior) job was available and coming up.
“He more or less said he wanted to spend significant time — two to three years — with that 21s group to get the idea of where he wanted to go with
Limerick hurling.
“He wanted to put his own stamp on it from an underage capacity.
“Don’t get me wrong. A real humble guy, honest guy.
“Obviously, they have got a massive talent pool coming through and John would say it’s testament to the work in that development squad era.
“But he had a plan and I knew by him that day how focused he was.
Grá
“That massive grá that is there in him for Limerick was really evident that day.
“I listened to him about the plan he had in his head about what he wanted to do with that squad and the group that were in the development squad behind them.
“Limerick coming to Mullingar is a huge thing for the hurling people of Westmeath.”
Fortune says he would be letting himself and the team down if he didn’t prepare for Limerick like any other game.
“Your KPIs (key performance indicators) might be a bit different and you might be looking at specific moments in the game where we could build for the Galway game and the Antrim or Laois game.
“That’s me being bluntly honest. There’ll be no white flag. It’s a case where we massively respect what Limerick have achieved.”
Fortune, who won a Leinster minor title with Dublin in 2007, wonders at times where the most pressure is: with himself or Kiely, the Goliath to Westmeath’s David.
“Laois, Westmeath, Antrim, Offaly, you are talking about the top 12 teams in Ireland — David Herity in Kildare,” says Wexford native Fortune.
“It’s a huge chance and an opportunity to try and make the county go better and you love that bit of an oul challenge.
“Is there more pressure on the counties who are expected to win all of the time and expected to be contesting Munster and Leinster titles, if you go into a Waterford, a Cork, a Tipp, a Wexford?
Great
“We had a great year last year won Division 2 in Thurles, great celebrations.
“The people of Westmeath really enjoyed it. From the Kilkenny match in the Championship up until we played Laois on the last day, the support got bigger and bigger and bigger. “It’s trying to grow a game.
“When the days are tough you turn around and you question at times are you mad driving up this road three or four times a week.
“I’ve genuinely never had that feeling (with Westmeath).
“I’ve got really good people behind me, great support in the background, people who do things because they are so proud to be from Westmeath.
“My job last year was to get them out of Division 2. It’s about getting to and maintaining top level status.
“Why do people do it? It’s a really good question.
“We all probably want to make wherever we go better.”
Fortune points to the efforts of the Westmeath players, considering there are only six senior clubs in the county.
“In Dublin there’s probably 30 seniors teams in senior 1, 2 and 3,” he remarks.
“The pick is so small — similar to what it is up in Antrim.You get the group tight together and bring the best players from the clubs involved.
“When you have a bunch of people who you know yourself are going to go to war for you. what else can you really ask them? of t
“They are a great group of lads very proud of where they are from
Journey
“The journey as well, I love it. I am not going to lie to you.
“When you are in the battle, you love it. You love that feel are going to be on the li John Kiely, one of the hurling managers, Paul Ki
“If you can’t enjoy days lik against Galway it’s Henry (S
“You are on the line wit Lohan. You are pitting yo
against Darragh Egan a couple of weeks ago.
“For me, that’s what the likes of myself and Willie Maher (Laois manager) aspire to, and want to be good and great at what we do.
“You are only going to get better by testing yourself against the best.”
Fortune says the workload at this level is “extreme.”
“The time is incredible. You can’t put the house up starting with the roof. You have to have a serious foundation there.
“That starts at home. I have three little girls and a very understanding wife who knows I give my life to it when I am there — ’Boden, Westmeath.”
Incoming GAA president Jarlath Burns spoke recently about intercounty managers being paid.
Fortune isn’t so sure: “The only thought I have on that is the amount of time the players themselves put into this game and are still expected to go to work in the morning.
“f you have two hours training tonight and a video session before it, and you expect Tommy Doyle to get up at six o’clock tomorrow morning to go to work.
“I don’t know if I’d go down the route of full time.
“I didn’t think it sends the right message to the players.
Maybe the old Roy Keane thing - you guys sit up at the front of the plane with the nice seats but we expect guys that are on the coalface to remain in your jobs.”