Realistic Drumcullen looking forward to return to top table

ONE of Offaly hurling's iconic names, Drumcullen will return to the Senior Hurling Championship this year, ending years in the doldrums.

It will be a big step up for them and their manager Shane Hand is realistic about what they can achieve but they are looking forward to finding out how they get on. Drumcullen were once a dominant force in Offaly hurling, winning seventeen titles but the last of these was way back in 1960.

They have been working very hard at changing their stars in recent years. Off the field, Drumcullen have put in terrific work with their facilities in Rath and this has been matched with their onfield work.

Now they find themselves back in the top flight and in the meantime, they have the 2020 Senior “B” Hurling Championship final to look forward to this Saturday where they will take on Kinnitty. St Rynagh's man Adrian Clancy guided them to that final but had to vacate the role after taking up a full time coaching role with the Offaly GAA County Board.

Kilcormac-Killoughey's Shane Hand has taken over and he said this week: “When I came in originally, it was tough thinking the final was in March. I would have had no time with the lads then and it was an advantage for me that it was put back. I got to know the players and lads. Everything is going well.”

The biggest issue has been numbers and Hand pointed out that they have a small pick. With Padraig Guinan and Colm Gath on the Offaly senior hurling panel, it meant that they struggled for numbers for league and challenge games.

He agreed that this final is different in that both finalists have been promoted but it will still be fiercely fought. “There is no real pressure as regards promotion but whether it is a cat and mouse game in your back yard, you want to win it. I know we are promoted but we are all out for it, as will Kinnitty.”

Asked about the importance of getting back up to senior for Drumcullen, he aid: “When I spoke to Drumcullen, they were realistic about what can be achieved. It is marvellous that they have been promoted and they want to play at the highest level but they are realistic. It is a huge step up. Kinnitty were senior for a long time and that is a huge advantage, whereas Drumcullen haven't been. Everyone should want to play at the highest level. We will be up against it but we will give it our best shot.”

Will the SHC “B” final give an indication of where you are for senior hurling? “Kinnitty have held their own there for nine, ten years. I know they wer relegated but I would say Kinnitty will be confident of holding their own. It will give an idea of where we are. To be honest and realistic, it is a huge step up and they realise that. One win could mean everything and it puts other clubs back in the relegation battle.”

Last year when the final was originally fixed, the then manager Adrian Clancy was optimistic about the future, particularly as Drumcullen/Seir Kieran had just won the U-13 A title.

Speaking to the Tribune a couple of days before that Under 13 victory, Clancy said: “Last night we were going senior training and the nursery was on the field. The Under 7s were there, the Under 9s were there, the Under 11s. It was just a buzz to walk in and the parents walking around the walkway. It felt like there's something happening here.”

He now has a pivotal role in the development of Offaly hurling and he said Offaly's problem is not a lack of hurlers, it's a deficit in some of the fundamental movements.

“We're more focussed on trying to strike the ball out of your hand at four years of age. But having got the proper technique, can the kids run, can they jump?”

The answer is often no, so a programme on fundamental movement was drawn up and was being implemented in the schools.

“It was a great programme and Covid just cut it out from underneath us. I had 800 kids a week last year.”

So while the day job had the 38-year-old immersed in the younger generation, his coaching was presenting an entirely different challenge.

Conor Gath, scorer of eight points in the semi-final defeat of Tullamore which guaranteed Drumcullen's return to Senior A, is 40 years of age.

And when Clancy was in secondary school in Banagher, Ray Gath and Padraic Cashin were in school with him too.

“We've a small enough panel. We've six lads over the age of 35 so it's a case of just trying to manage the training load, not to overdo them and to have them right. They have shown great leadership, in fairness to them,” he said.

In the first game of the championship Drumcullen were nine points down against Kilcormac after 12 minutes but came back and won that game 1-22 to 2-16.

“Kilcormac done us a favour by beating Lusmagh and put Lusmagh out and we topped the group then.”

The semi-final pitted them against the runners-up in the other group, Tullamore, with a return to Senior A awaiting the winner, along with the considerable bonus of a crack at a county title.

In a dramatic game where Drumcullen missed a penalty and conceded a soft goal in the first half, they eventually prevailed 3-14 to 2-15, sparking great celebrations across a Drumcullen club which is proud of its senior hurling heritage.

“There was great scenes of joy after the Tullamore game. They were over the moon, delighted to get back up. They understand the work they had to put in to beat Tullamore,” said Clancy.

“But they also realise that any performance they've done to date won't be good enough to beat Kinnitty in a county final. Kinnitty the last day we played them, they were short three players and they had nothing to play for. Drumcullen were fighting for their life and that gave the extra motivation to drive on.”

Balancing a squad of veterans and emerging talents has been key to Drumcullen's season.

“The first night I went to the field last February, the first man I met getting out of the car was Conor Gath. And to be honest, I had planned that Conor wasn't coming back because lads had told me he'd retired. We just chatted walking in, I didn't make an issue of it. I was never as happy to see him getting out of the car with two new hurls.

“Some of the younger lads had been at different stuff, with soccer and stuff like that. It was just a matter of making sure that anyone that was available to hurl at senior level was going to participate. They have small numbers coming through every year. They might only have one or two minors a year coming up.”

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