Liam McGrath aiming to become a multiple winning skipper

By Liam Hogan

Liam McGrath could join an illustrious list of players to captain a team to multiple County Senior Hurling titles if Loughmore/Castleiney are successful in next Sunday’s final.

He would also join an illustrious list of captains that accepted the Dan Breen at least twice including Toomevara’s Tommy Dunne Michael Bevans, and Thurles Sarsfields Padraic Maher in 2017. He is already on an illustrious list at home along with skippers Eamon Sweeney 1988, Johnny Gleeson 2007, Ciaran McGrath 2013, and Noel McGrath in 2021.

However, Loughmore will have to defeat Nenagh Eire Og first, and that won’t be easy. While the Mid-men are many people’s favourites there are with many who look at the age of their team against fleet-footed Nenagh team.

“A few years ago, some people were saying we were too old,” Liam laughed.

“Since Covid, the format for the championship has suited us. We are playing week in week out. We can use the pre-season to put our bodies’ right. Eleven or twelve weeks of games and everything going right. There is routine and recovery and it is great to be back again.”

The panel had had its share of luck as the amount of injuries have been few thanks to strength & conditioning coach Paul Treacy.

“We have been very lucky the last two years as we have kept our bodies good,” Liam agreed.

“There have been a few niggles but we have a serious panel. Paul Treacy has done serious work the last two years in fairness. All the players have bought into it and yes, we did have a few tough weeks at the start with Paul.”

He added: “He has really helped the younger lads. You need these players to be breaking into the team. The speed the young lads play with. You need a mixture of youth and experience. Ed Connolly, the McCahey’s, Mikey Ryan, and all of them are serious players,”

Those players are entering a centre of excellence. Take the game against Lorrha a few weeks ago when it really was a dead-rubber but Loughmore were relentless for the sixty minutes.

“Eamonn Kelly was saying every player will get a chance and anyone who got the chance took it,” Liam added. “They have made an impression and took their scores and chasing lost causes especially in the closing stages of a game.”

Loughmore/Castleiney are the envy of every club in the county, hurling and football, what is the secret?

“There is no secret,” said Liam.

“We are at it since we were ten years of age. Seanie Johnson and Eamon Sweeney had us coached at a young age. Hurling and football were treated the same since we were kids. Our teacher Mr. Maher did the same.

“Whatever game was coming next, everyone just played it. We grew up loving both games. If it was hurling, we trained for hurling. If it was football, we trained for football. That the way it’s done. If the management buy into it and the players buy into it then it is half the battle. Everyone is just happy.”

Liam has great admiration for manager Eamonn Kelly who is in his second year and has said it is one of the easiest management jobs he has had.

“When he came over to Loughmore he bought into it and didn’t change too much. Whatever works for ye, works for me kind of thing,” Liam said.

“He is a serious man to have around for the last two years. He is in it for the love of the game. We have had great people over us the last ten to fifteen years since I started playing.”

For any successful team, it doesn’t last forever and the Loughmore captain admits they are enjoying the run they are on and looking to prolong it for as long as they can.

“We are going to make the most of it while we can,” McGrath admitted.

“Some of us are moving into early and mid thirties but the fitness levels are good. We were lucky the core of the team came at the same time. When we broke into the team it took us a while to make it. We were struggling against a very good Thurles Sarsfields team.

“This core group won much at underage which helped coming up. Look if teams are successful, players stay around and stay playing. The younger lads on today’s team helped keep the core together and thankfully we kept it going now at senior level. We are also getting a few younger lads coming into the squad. If we get three, four or five lads every year it makes a huge addition and they get valued experience as well which will stand to them when their time comes to step in.”