Approach from players key to Kingston return

IT wasn’t expected to happen so soon, but when the Cork senior hurling squad approached Kieran Kingston to return – just two years after departing due to work commitments – his mind was quickly made up.

“I certainly didn’t expect that the opportunity would come up too soon. I got an approach from the players to consider going back in, that was the first step,’’ said Kingston on taking over from John Meyler.

“I spoke to them in terms of what they wanted and I listened to what they had to say. Then, that was supported by an approach from the board.

“In leaving the last time, I had very good reasons for it but there was always regret there – should I have done this or that? Maybe I didn’t finish what I started out.

“I felt that if the opportunity came up, it is something I would like to do again and there was an itch I had to scratch. When the opportunity arose in the right environment, then I said, ‘yeah, easy decision then’.

“The players was the key one. There was no point going back so soon to a group many of them I had been with as a coach and a manager. The key decision was the collective approach from the players, I wouldn’t have gone back if that wasn’t forthcoming.”

Another consideration was the presence of his son Shane in the Rebel squad, but Kingston stressed that there will be no preferential treatment for the Douglas attacker.

“He has to be comfortable with it as well. My wife mightn’t be comfortable with it but he has to be comfortable with it as well! He’s the kind of character that is calm and doesn’t get rattled too much.

“He knows from the last time and the people I had around me that he is treated the same as every other player and the players and the management team I have see that. It was never an issue and I don’t see it as an issue going into the future.”

Consistency “will be a huge focus” as it has dogged this Cork squad and Kingston how difficult next year’s Munster SHC will be for a county “starved of success”.

“It’s something to survive absolutely,” said Kingston, downplaying the importance of silverware. “It’s dog eat dog, some of the top teams in the country are there and getting out of Munster is the number one objective.

“The rest will take care of itself after that. But absolutely, it’s hugely challenging because of the schedule and because of the quality of team that you’re up against, it’s a massive challenge.”