Herity’s role in Tipp’s progress

By Shane Brophy

Penny for the thoughts this week of David Herity as the Tipperary coach plots the downfall of his native Kilkenny in the All-Ireland senior hurling semi-final on Sunday.

The 5-time All-Ireland senior medallist is in his second year as part of the Tipperary set-up, initially as goalkeeping coach, but has taken on more of a hands-on role along side Michael Bevans and Declan Laffan in this campaign.

The Dunnamaggin native, less than ten miles from the Tipperary border with Mullinahone, was a member of the Kilkenny senior panel for eight seasons. Previously, Herity won back-to-back All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship titles in 2003 and 2004, the latter at the expense of Tipperary.

While still a member of the under-21 team in 2003, Herity joined the senior team as a member of the extended panel. He won a National League medal as a non-playing substitute in Kilkenny's 5–14 to 5–13 extra-time defeat of Tipperary.

After several years away from the team, Herity returned as third-choice goalkeeper in 2008. He won an All-Ireland medal as a non-playing substitute, before collecting another the following year, as substitute to PJ Ryan in the win over Tipperary.

In 2011, Herity succeeded Ryan as Kilkenny's first-choice goalkeeper and started in the All-Ireland final victory over Tipperary. Herity won his fourth All-Ireland medal in 2012 when Kilkenny defeated Galway, after a replay.

However, Herity’s period as number one was short, as after impressing during several games in the 2013 National League campaign, Eoin Murphy succeeded in supplanting Herity as first-choice goalkeeper, and remains there twelve years on.

Herity was confined to the substitutes' bench in 2014; however, an elbow injury to Murphy saw Herity restored as goalkeeper for the latter stages of the Leinster Championship and the All-Ireland semi-final against Limerick in a monsoon at Croke Park. However, Herity made way for Murphy for the All-Ireland final, and replay against Tipperary, collecting a fifth All-Ireland senior medal.

Herity retired from the inter-county game later that year, from where he turned his attention to coaching, starting out as Dublin senior camogie manager in 2016 and 2017, guiding them to an All-Ireland semi-final in his second year.

From there, he became manager of the Kildare senior hurlers in 2018 and remained in the role for five years, winning Christy Ring Cups in 2020 and 2022, as well as gaining promotion to Division 2A of the National League where they reached the final in 2023, losing narrowly to Offaly.

Playing in the Joe McDonagh Cup proved a step too far for Kildare, and after an extremely disappointing campaign were relegated, following which Herity stepped down, succeeded by his former Kilkenny under 21 teammate Brian Dowling who has subsequently led the lilywhites to back to back championship successes in the Ring and MacDonagh Cups, and will compete in the Leinster Championship proper this year.

Away from management, Herity has a successful goalkeeping coaching business, and Tipperary manager Liam Cahill wasn’t slow about utilising his skillset by inviting him on board as goalkeeping coach for the 2024 campaign, not just for his team, but with a view to the future.

In an interview with the Nenagh Guardian earlier this year, Liam Cahill revealed why he had asked Herity to come on board, plus his increased role this season.

“Last year, David Herity was primarily with the goalkeepers but Shane Hennessy from Nenagh Eire Og, who was involved with the Tipp underage development squads, came in under him, and he is now in that role full time,” he revealed.

“My vision there was, we have development squads for players, let’s do the same to bring through expertise, leverage off what is out there, capture it and keep it in the county. It has worked exceptionally well.

“From knowing him (David) and seeing him work with goalkeepers, and obviously his managerial experience with Kildare, we needed support around coaching.

“Michael Bevans is an exceptional coach, to me one of the best of the country, but at this level, you need you need support and David Herity, since he has come on board, has really helped Mikey Bevans in that role to go after certain areas.

“There is so much to be captured when you only have these players for two hours, twice or three times a week, and there is a lot of help required, and that partnership is working really well.

“Also, Declan Laffan has taken on more of a coaching role as well. I have taken a little bit more responsibility on the field through certain stages, as well, of the sessions and that has helped us overall to get after the areas, we need to improve on.”