Nenagh Éire Óg manager Hugh Moloney - “If you’re not in it, you can’t win it”

By Liam Hogan

It seems like only yesterday since Hugh Moloney last wore the Nenagh Éire Óg colours. In a span of 13 years, he won four North senior hurling medals in 2001, 2009, 2014 and 2022. He captained the side in the 2009 final win over Portroe.

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He played in four county senior hurling deciders in 2006, 2013, 2015 and 2018. Nenagh lost the four, and by very small margins: the first against Toomevara, 1-21 to 2-14, followed by a one-point defeat to Loughmore Castleiney, 1-17 to 1-16. It was another one-point defeat two years later when Thurles Sarsfields denied them, 1-18 to 3-11, before losing to Clonoulty Rossmore, 0-23 to 2-13, in 2018.

Nenagh supporters must have wondered if the club was ever destined to win another final in addition to their only one, won in 1995. Was there a question mark over Nenagh’s ability to win tight games in the concluding stages of the Dan Breen?

“I wouldn’t say it is a weight, because finals take on a life of their own,” said Hugh, who is in his first year at the helm. “We were beaten by a very good Toomevara team, a Loughmore team, a Thurles team who went on to reach Munster finals. You had Clonoulty Rossmore as well,” said Hugh, who claims he never looks back on previous losses.

“You always look forward. This present group are like that. They don’t carry too much baggage,” he added.

Things are on the crest of a wave and it is great to be there, said Hugh, who is delighted to be on the sideline. At the start of the year, he set out his goal and brought in an experienced trio to assist him in his brother Noel and John Brennan. In addition, they decided to make a go of the county league, and it worked to a degree.

“I brought my own brother Noel back in and John (Brennan) as coach, two lads who were with Nenagh before and with different clubs. Then we got Martin Bennett in on the fitness side. We had a good team, and that has a direct correlation with the juniors getting to a semi-final as well,” said Hugh.

“Last year we got beaten in every game bar one in the league, and that was something we wanted to address, because winning games builds confidence. We didn’t win the league, Borris-Ileigh won it in the end, but we did set out to perform and be competitive,” he added.

“That’s testament to the coaching and the backroom staff we have. Most clubs, within reason, are at that level now. Some clubs get a little bit of luck and the bounce of the ball and go a bit further.

"We’d have to be happy; we haven’t picked up too many hamstring injuries or muscle tears, which is down to Martin and his fitness work, so overall very pleasing. Overall, it would have been one of the cornerstones we would have looked at at the start of the year.”

One could suggest that this Nenagh team is talented and has a good quantity of players on the respective Tipp squads. Moloney, a winner of one All-Ireland senior hurling medal in 2010, says his team are benefiting from the lads coming back from inter-county duty with All-Ireland medals in their pockets.

“You have to go with the young lads as well, the likes of Mason Cawley and Jake Donelan-Houlihan, two outstanding talents who have been in with the Tipp 20s, and off the back of their victory have been on the crest of a wave, no different to Sam O’Farrell, Jake Morris or Josh Keller when they came back from the Tipp seniors and added something to the dressing room, which is always great to have.”

No Nenagh team would be complete without a Heffernan playing. 2019 All-Ireland medal winner Barry Heffernan is playing the hurling of his life, but Nenagh may well have to start without their talisman, Michael Heffernan, who missed the semi-final win over Drom & Inch due to injury.

“Barry has gotten himself into great nick. He is enjoying his hurling as well, and Jake the same. You mention shared responsibility, that is across the board.

"While a player might be a star outside the dressing room, inside the dressing room he is like everyone else, and that is a good reflection of the team. With Mikey out injured, the panel must respond, and Ben West stepped up and was Clubber man of the match in the semi-final, which was pleasing for him. If someone gets injured, it’s the next man comes in.”

Looking at the strength of the opposition, this final must bring back memories of the 2013 final when Nenagh lost to Loughmore.

“Some of the stalwarts Loughmore had then are still there now. They are a phenomenal club, defending champions, going for a double double. We are under no illusion that we’ll probably go in as underdogs, but if you’re not in it, you cannot win it.”

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