Sea of calm descends on Shinrone as novice manager aims to prove dreams do come true

THE difference that a short few years makes was very evident in Shinrone last week as they continued their preparations for Sunday's Senior Hurling Championship final renewal with Kilcormac-Killoughey in O'Connor Park.

Back around this time in 2022, you could almost physically feel the anxiety, the nervousness in the air as Shinrone held their press night ahead of the Senior Hurling Championship final. It was their first ever final, first ever press night and they were in virgin territory – trying to embrace all aspects of the senior hurling final and playing their part in promoting the fixture and game in Offaly but walking on ice.

The bunting and excitement of locals was one part of it, talking to the press and doing media duties another but as a club, Shinrone were shaking, afraid of the impact it would all have on their players – terrified that it would get to them and it would all go horrifically wrong.

On a never to be forgotten O'Connor Park day, all of this was forgotten as Shinrone were swept along on a tidal wave of emotion, blowing Kilcormac-Killoughey away in the second half to capture their first ever title.

Now the goalposts have moved entirely for Shinrone. They returned to the final in 2023 but were destroyed by Kilcormac-Killoughey. Coolderry ambushed them in the quarter-final last year but they approached 2025 with a renewed determination and hunger, impressing from the off and returning for their third final meeting with K-K in four years.

The feeling of trepidation in 2022 was demonstrated in a real way at that press night. Manager Trevor Fletcher, a Roscrea man long domiciled in Kilcormac, was his usual affable self while captain Jason Sampson took it all in his stride. The choice of the other player put forward for interview showed where Shinrone were at.

A long serving senior hurler, Mark Morkan's race was run and he had played intermediate all year – now 39 years of age, he first played senior hurling in 2003. His only senior appearance in 2022 was in the dying seconds of the final when victory was in the bag and management wanted to let him savour the occasion fully – something Morkan is grateful for, even though he knows it was very much a sentimental gesture.

Three years later and Morkan is in a role he never anticipated as manager and the Shinrone press evening is way more relaxed, a sea of tranquillity. Three players were put forward for interview and they were bright and breezy as they conversed as normally as you can when knowing that people will see and opponents read all kinds of things into what you say. One of those, Sean Cleary has been a sub, used occasionally but their goalkeeper Eamon Cleary and centre half back and captain, Killian Sampson are absolutely pivotal to their prospects.

That few seconds he got at the tail-end of the 2022 final was Morkan's last time to play a hurling game and it also looked like drawing a curtain on his involvement with Shinrone. Living in Cork, in the Sarsfields catchment area, for the past four years, he is married with a two year old son and his future is there, even though he works for a Tullamore based firm.

In 2023, he was an eye in the stand for Trevor Fletcher, miked up to deliver messages as they returned to the final but were destroyed by Kilcormac-Killoughey. In 2024, with Limerick man Paul Keane at the helm, Morkan was purely a spectator. That was a role he didn't enjoy, finding it very difficult – uncertain where to go to at games and whether to stay on his own or get in with people.

He certainly doesn't have that problem in 2025 as he is in the middle of it all as manager. Generally a calm, measured presence, clearly spoken and concise, he just had to produce the hairdryer once this year and let rip – at half time in the quarter-final against Coolderry when they found themselves ten points in arrears.

That worked as they staged a sensational second half recovery to win and Morkan reflected: “We said we'd stick to the plan in some way but we said at half time we'd throw off the shackles a bit and go at them a bit more. We said we've nothing to lose so go for it. We were probably a bit cagey in the first half and there was maybe a bit of pressure on us and we didn't perform at all. We sat off them too much and it was another learning for the lads. We turned it around. People ask me what we said at half time and there was nothing we said, we brought one sub on. We didn't make any change in tactics. It was the players that done it. They drove it on. It was nothing we done or said, it was the players who made it happen.”

Surely, you let a few of them have it?

“I told them a few home truths, probably the first time this year, let them have it a bit, you know. Just told them it wasn't good enough, the standards that we set, that they weren't meeting them, and it wasn't good enough, the attitude, and we were probably being a bit lazy. It was the first time I'd say I really gave it to them. I'm not saying that it worked or anything like that, but it might have had some effect on it now.”

His words certainly had some effect as Shinrone quickly got back into the game on the restart with a Jason Sampson goal and from an early stage, it looked like they would haul Coolderry in.

“Yeah, Jason's goal was really important. We got back 1-3 I think fairly quick after half time. I think if it went on a bit longer we would have struggled and Eamon made a huge save before half time. It would have went to 13 points before half time and it was a great save. I think if it went to 13 it could have been a different outcome.”

He never expected to be manager as he had little experience. Taking over any senior hurling team would be a big step up, managing your own club was an entirely different proposition. A prophet is not always celebrated in his own land and Morkan was very much aware that it sometimes comes easier for supporters to vilify one of their own than a stranger – he was also managing players that he soldiered with for so long and making hard decisions, sometimes having to express harsh words would not be pleasant for him.

It went deeper than this in Shinrone, however – Sean Cleary is married to his sister, famous camogie player, Michaela while his brother Donal is their free taker and a key forward, who is often taken off in the closing quarter after draining the tank.

He did have to consider all this when the opportunity arose but not for too long and he knew that door might never open again. Morkan also insisted that hard words were rare.

“To be honest there's not much of that, not much calling lads out The hardest thing is when you're leaving lads off. We had to make a couple of decisions during the year that weren't easy. I've a brother in law Sean, Sean Cleary, married to Michaela, and my brother is on it, and my cousin Darren Crehan playing corner back and then there's a lot of my best friends on it. They make it easy, they know any decision I make or we make as a management group it's made in the right way and there's no agenda or anything and obviously the boys know we are doing it for the right reasons.”

Morkan also surrounded himself with a mainly Shinrone package with Conor Cleary as coach and Colin O'Meara and Denis Coonan the selectors. The goalkeeping coach is Niall Cleary while JJ O'Brien looks after strength and conditioning.

He was open as he discussed the more relaxed mood in Shinrone now. “The boys are well used to it, Killer (Killian Sampson) and Sean, and Sean with Offaly as well, they'd have more experience than I would so they'd be well able for it. 2022 was new to the club, our first county final and it couldn't have went any better than it did, it was brilliant. We gained a lot of experience from that win, on the field and off the field. The boys are after turning into leaders, even Killer with Offaly, turning into a fine hurler as well.”

Mark Morkan on:

Memories of the 2022 final

“We'll never forget it. I only came on for the last couple of seconds. I suppose it was only a gesture from Trevor to give me my minute on the field, which was nice to say I was on the field at some stage. It was my last senior hurling game, my last game altogether. I'm living in Glanmire in Cork now so I'm travelling up and down. I'm working with Lir Fire Protection in Tullamore and we travel up and down. I'd be based around the Midlands and I do a lot of work around Thurles/Portlaoise area so there's a lot of travelling and I've a wife and a little boy at home. We've a house down there. I was down there for the county final as well.”

Had you made up your mind that you were retiring before the game in 2022?

“I had made up my mind that it was going to be my last, even before we got to the final. Early on that year I knew it was going to be the end so it was great to finish off like that.”

How hard was it for Shinrone to make that breakthrough after coming for so many years?

“It was horrendous the years we had, getting to quarter-finals and getting to the semi-finals in 2005 and Birr beat us and in 2012 Rynagh's beat us. We got knocked out in more, maybe eight or nine quarter-finals. It was devastating. I thought we'd never get over the line to be honest. I said we'll never see a county final. And now we've three in four years so it's a massive turnaround. I'm not surprised though, with the talent we have and the group of players in the club.”

A unique time for the club

“Yeah, you have to make the most of it too, it's not going to last for ever either.”

After 2022, what did you do in hurling?

“There was nothing really. Trevor asked me to get involved a small bit. I used to wear an earpiece on the hill on the day of a match but it was very mild, just on match day, on championship day, I wasn't really involved. Then in 2024 it was my first time ever not to be involved with the club and I found it so strange. I remember we were hurling Kinnitty in a championship game and I stood on the hill on my own and I didn't know where to be, or who to talk to. It wasn't a nice place to be either. You couldn't really talk to the lads because they were hurling and all my friends were still hurling. It was a weird place to be.”

Getting the call to be manager

“Obviously it was a surprise. I never thought I'd be asked to manage a team. I've no experience of management, no experience whatsoever. I was involved in a few teams over the years with Joe Cleary and I was with Michael Cordial in 2013, I was a selector and we won a minor. That's the only time I was ever involved with teams. The boys asked me and a few of the players asked me to get involved and one thing led to another and I ended up getting the management role. It was something I wasn't expecting. When I was asked I couldn't turn it down. It's a huge honour to be asked.”

Any fears or apprehensions?

“To be honest I had massive fears, especially as I had no experience. I'm learning all the time, especially off previous managers. Off Trevor (Fletcher) and Arien Delaney (Laois), who is a good manager and Joe (Cleary) as well. Joe had a big influence on me growing up and taught me a lot. Loads of good influences in the club. It's getting easier and easier as the year goes on. But there's no managing in the boys. The boys make it so easy. They do all the work and I have good lads with me. Conor Cleary is a top class coach. He's Eamon and Declan's brother so it's a family affair. And then we have JJ O'Brien in strength and conditioning and he was with Trevor in 2022 and 2023. And I've Colin O'Meara as a selector and Denis Coonan as a selector. And Niall Cleary, Joe's son, he's living in Donegal, helps out as well. It's a great bunch. Colin and Denis hurled senior with Shinrone for a long time.”

Shinrone had a horrific day at the office in in the 2023 final and then lost to Coolderry in the 2024 quarter-final. Was there anything you decided to do differently?

“I think the Belmont game was a big eye opener for us this year. I think it was probably the best thing that ever happened to us, getting beaten. As a management group we really looked at ourselves after that. We got through the first two games and probably thought we were going well. I think it was the big wake-up call that we needed as a team and management team.”

You know Kilcormac Killoughey well. There's nothing strange about them at this stage and vice versa.

“No, no, I'm sure everyone knows the talent Kilcormac Killoughey have, underage and right up to the senior and all the teams they have and how well they're doing as a club. They're the standard bearers at the minute and everyone kind of looks up to them. But it's great. It's great to get another shot at them anyway.”

Belmont and Shinrone showed in the group and Birr almost showed in the semi-final that no one is unbeatable

“No, looking back at the game, Birr probably could have gone over the line very easy. It just goes to show that all the top class forwards that Kilcormac Killoughey have as well. Like Charlie's (Mitchell) point there near the end was unreal as well. But they're never beaten, you know.”

Shinrone have to hit the ground with fierce intensity, you can't let a gap open up early

“No you can't. It's important, I think, to start well and don't let the opponents get in top gear early in the game.”

I assume Shinrone don't mind O'Connor Park, you'd have a natural affinity to Birr, but O'Connor Park probably suits you in some ways because of the way you're playing

“Yeah, like I'm sure Kilcormac Killoughey would be thinking the same. We're kind of a bit used to Birr at the minute, it's nearly like a home venue.”

Yeah, it's Shinrone's first game in O'Connor Park this year

“Yeah, but listen, look, a lot of the boys that are hurling with Offaly are well used to it, and we've a couple of young lads that would have been with the 20s. Yeah, they've good memories in Tullamore. It won't faze any of the boys. A lot of lads would like the space and other lads won't.”

You're one of the teams in Offaly that wouldn't be afraid of Kilcormac-Killoughey because you know you can beat them?

“Exactly. We wouldn't fear anyone really, to be honest. But most of the time, it's what we do on match day. If we perform, we're going to be in with a shout, if we really perform. But it'll have to be at a high level. It'll probably have to be our best performance of the year if we're going to be there or thereabouts. But we know how good Kilcormac Killoughey are and it's not going to be easy.”

If you put in a first half like you did against Coolderry, the game would be over early

“Exactly, exactly. That's why it is important to get a good start in the game.”

I suppose for legacy reasons more so than anything else, it is very important for Shinrone to back up 2022 with a second one apart from obviously wanting to win a county title. Does that put more pressure on?

“I wouldn't see it as pressure. It's a privilege to be able to play in the county final. No matter what happens, it's going to be nice to play in the county final. Obviously, when you get there, you'd like to win one, but I don't think there's going to be pressure or lads going to feel that pressure. We'll enjoy them. It's a privilege to get there and to be able to go out and hurl.

Did you ever think you'd see these days with Shinrone playing in their third final in four years?

“I gave 20 years hurling, and I said to myself, I'll never get going a medal. And we had some unbelievable hurlers and teams over the years, not quite up to the standard now, but we still had good teams back then, we just couldn't go over the line. I'd love to see my friends and my brother getting their medals and having a big role to play in the county finals. It was a really, really proud day in 2022. And to see them continue it as well, and the hunger that they showed, all the older lads, especially. They're a great bunch of lads. I couldn't speak highly enough of them.

It would be special to manage your own to a county title?

“It would be a dream come true now to be honest, it would it would be nice.”

On future managerial ambitions

“ I never really had ambitions. I like to be a coach, and it's not something I thought I'd ever do, managing a club team, especially our own team. It's not something I dreamt of, but it's a huge honour and a huge privilege to be able to do it. And as I said already, I'm enjoying every minute of it. The boys make my life so easy. I look forward to training. I get the same buzz nearly as much as I did when I was playing. I love going into dressing on championship day, the boys are all there and they're chatting and laughing. I get so well with them as well, there's never a bad word.”

Do you feel powerless on the line sometimes, games often take a life of their own?

“Especially in Offaly when sometimes they won't allow you to move down the line or get a word in somewhere to a player. I think it's important the lads you have around you. You do feel powerless and there's only so much you can control too. There's leaders all over the field, they lead it themselves and I'd give them the freedom to make a change if they want to. That's how much I trust them.”

On Shinrone's fast, short passing style with long balls let in occasionally?

“People are obsessed with tactics and all that kind of stuff as well. I heard already that we're playing with two centre backs and we're doing this and you know, you hear all these things. It's not like that, like we try and get a lot of our players on the ball as much as we can, our best players especially. We've great players all over the field, but obviously if you're going to have Killian there or Adrian or you're going to have Adam or Dara or any of them, you want them on the ball.
“Looking in from last year, I just felt the standards might have dropped a small bit. I'd come up and watch them train a bit and I just felt that the standards might have dropped a small bit and training wasn't as good as it should have been. And that's not blaming any manager or anyone who was involved with some great lads in the club that were involved last year. It's just for some reason, and it's hard to keep coming back as well. Like after winning the county final '22. But I just felt that it needed to change a small bit, especially when we have so many lads involved in Offaly as well. When they're away, the standards probably drop a small bit more. At the same time, we have some great lads at home , but for some reason, the standards dropped a small bit last year, and my priority was at the beginning of the year to just try and get them back up a small bit.”

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I happened to see Shinrone training before a game there earlier in the year and was struck by the pace and intensity of everything

“I know, the standard is unreal. They're really good lads to keep the standards high and like the talent we have in the group. It's just brilliant. At all levels, you have young lads coming on, you have the lads in the middle and then you have the older lads. Yeah, there's a great balance and great mixture out there.”