Loughmore Castleiney captain Liam McGrath - “We’re going to make the most of it while we can”

By Liam Hogan 

The coolness of the man! One would never think Liam McGrath was going to become the next Loughmore Castleiney captain to make history by receiving the Dan Breen twelve months after he walked up the steps of the O Riain Stand to receive the Dan Breen as he led the side to victory over Toomevara in last year’s decider.

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If successful, Liam will also join an illustrious list of winning captains who accepted the Dan Breen at least twice, with Tommy Dunne, Michael Bevans and Pádraic Maher the most recent winner in 2017. We cannot forget his own club leaders who led the Green and Red to honour: Eamon Sweeney (1988), Johnny Gleeson (2007), Ciaran McGrath (2013) and Noel McGrath in 2021.

However, Loughmore will have to defeat Nenagh Éire Óg first, and that won’t be easy. While Loughmore are many people’s favourites, there are many neutrals worried about the age brackets of the players. Would it be a step too far against a fleet-footed Nenagh team?

“A few years ago, some people were saying we were too old,” said Liam. “Since Covid, the format for the championship has suited us. At least 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,” said Liam.

Of course, the team has had its share of luck, as the number of injuries has been few, thanks to their strength and conditioning coach Paul Treacy, who has worked on the team’s strength. The team looks very toned and fit — and even better this year.

“We have been very lucky the last two years as we have kept our bodies good. There have been a few niggles, but we have a serious panel and lads are called into battle. 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,” declared the Loughmore captain, who praised the work of the younger players like Joey Quinn and Mikey Ryan, who are getting game time and adding to the strength of the team.

“Paul Treacy has really helped the younger lads. You need these players to break into the team. The speed the young lads play with — no care. You need a mixture of youth and experience. Ed Connolly, the Mulcahys, Mikey Ryan and all of them are serious players.”

Those players are entering into 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.

“With the Lorrha game, Eamon Kelly was saying every player will get a chance. Anyone who got the chance took it. They have made an impression and took their scores and chased 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. It’s no major secret — that’s the way it’s done. If the management buy into it and the players buy into it, then it's half the battle. Everyone is just happy.”

Liam has great admiration for team manager Eamon Kelly and agreed to the suggestion that Eamon Kelly has praised the manner in which players in the Loughmore club simply look out for everyone.

“That’s safe to say. Eamon is a good man to have around the place. He knows what to say and when to say it. In fairness, 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, he told us. He is a serious man to have around for the last two years. He is in it for the love of the game. We had great people over us the last ten to fifteen years since I started playing.”

In terms of preparing for games — and you know this won’t last forever — is that the reason ye are enjoying it more and that Loughmore are getting as much out of it, especially being a small rural club?

“Perhaps we talk about it in small groups, but you are right — nothing is going to last forever. We are going to make the most of it while we can. Some of us are moving into our 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. Drom-Inch were struggling against Sarsfields too.

“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’ve 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.”

The word has it that Loughmore club is low in numbers at underage, yet we see the club reaching B finals and doing well.

“Yes, it’s nice to see it happen. A few of the boys get involved with bits and pieces. The seniors have a rota each Saturday morning, and I know every rural club is struggling for numbers — it’s what we do to make progress that counts.”

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