DUBLIN HURLING BOSS Ger Cunningham admits that Donal Óg Cusack’s appointment as Clare selector came totally ‘from left field’.
Cunningham is one of Cork’s goalkeeping greats and when he hung up his hurl the number one jersey was taken over by Cusack.
Like his predecessor, Cusack won All-Irelands and Allstars between the posts with the Rebels.
Few saw any potential for him becoming involved with Clare though, given that they are managed by his long-time sparring partner Davy Fitzgerald and Cunningham says he was as surprised as anyone.
“Ah it did; it really came from left field,” said the Dubs manager, speaking as he prepares to bring his team to Boston to face Galway in the AIG sponsored Fenway Hurling Classic.
“When I heard the appointment I wasn’t surprised that Donal Óg would be getting involved in coaching, but that the two of them would have worked together, given past histories…
“They were goalkeeping adversaries, obviously, but also stuff you would have read in both books about the rivalry that they would have had with one another.”
Now that they have buried their differences, Cunningham expects Cusack to help revive Clare fortunes.
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They beat Cork in the 2013 All-Ireland final, but since then they have struggled to win so much as a Championship game
“Donal Óg is very good,” said Cunningham.
“And you have a crop of players who have won three All-Ireland Under-21 titles. He’ll be doing his damnedest, I have no doubt, to make it work.”
On Sunday the Boys in Blue take on beaten All-Ireland finalists Galway at Boston’s iconic Fenway Park, home to the Boston Red Sox, in the AIG Fenway Hurling Classic, with a crowd in excess of 20,000 expected.
Dublin jet off to the States today without half a dozen of their regular panel members as Cuala prepare for Sunday’s Leinster Club Senior Hurling Championship final.
Only one Dublin club, Crumlin back in 1979, have won the provincial title, though Cunningham is giving the Dalkey outfit a great chance against Wexford’s Oulart-the-Ballagh in Carlow this weekend.
“It’s fantastic to see,” he said. “They’re a very young team and it’s very exciting for Dublin hurling really that they’ve made the impression they have.
“It might be an inconvenience (for Dublin) at the moment but in general it’s great that they’re now in a Leinster final. It’s great for Dublin hurling.
Cuala have enjoyed an exceptional season. Colm O'Neill / INPHO
Colm O'Neill / INPHO / INPHO
“There was six of the Cuala panel in with us this year. So there’s the basis of a great team there.
And I think (manager) Mattie Kenny has brought something to the table there as well.
“In my time in Dublin, people were saying they were the best team in Dublin but they hadn’t seen it through so it’s not a surprise – especially when you look at their forward line.
“They have Mark (Schutte) and David Treacy, Seán Treacy and Colm Cronin. They have some exceptional forwards.”
Cunningham had a moderately successful first season in charge of Dublin, seeing them retain their Division 1A status in the League and guiding them to an All-Ireland quarter-final, where they lost to Waterford.
As he gears up for season number two in the job he has revamped his backroom team.
Leaving are selectors Gearóid Ó Riain, Shay Boland and Ed Coughlan. In come Patsy Morrissey, who Cunningham knows from his days with Cork, and well-respected former Dub Liam Walsh
Ken Robinson, Chris Thompson, Caroline Currid and Brendan Egan remain on as part of the extended backroom and Cunningham hasn’t ruled out drafting in another selector before the start of the 2016 campaign.
The Dublin boss has also confirmed that no members of this year’s panel have retired and all of them will be making themselves available for selection next season.
Ger Cunningham on Donal Óg Cusack, Cuala's rise and Dublin's trip to Boston
DUBLIN HURLING BOSS Ger Cunningham admits that Donal Óg Cusack’s appointment as Clare selector came totally ‘from left field’.
Cunningham is one of Cork’s goalkeeping greats and when he hung up his hurl the number one jersey was taken over by Cusack.
Like his predecessor, Cusack won All-Irelands and Allstars between the posts with the Rebels.
Few saw any potential for him becoming involved with Clare though, given that they are managed by his long-time sparring partner Davy Fitzgerald and Cunningham says he was as surprised as anyone.
“Ah it did; it really came from left field,” said the Dubs manager, speaking as he prepares to bring his team to Boston to face Galway in the AIG sponsored Fenway Hurling Classic.
“When I heard the appointment I wasn’t surprised that Donal Óg would be getting involved in coaching, but that the two of them would have worked together, given past histories…
Now that they have buried their differences, Cunningham expects Cusack to help revive Clare fortunes.
They beat Cork in the 2013 All-Ireland final, but since then they have struggled to win so much as a Championship game
“Donal Óg is very good,” said Cunningham.
“And you have a crop of players who have won three All-Ireland Under-21 titles. He’ll be doing his damnedest, I have no doubt, to make it work.”
On Sunday the Boys in Blue take on beaten All-Ireland finalists Galway at Boston’s iconic Fenway Park, home to the Boston Red Sox, in the AIG Fenway Hurling Classic, with a crowd in excess of 20,000 expected.
Dublin jet off to the States today without half a dozen of their regular panel members as Cuala prepare for Sunday’s Leinster Club Senior Hurling Championship final.
Only one Dublin club, Crumlin back in 1979, have won the provincial title, though Cunningham is giving the Dalkey outfit a great chance against Wexford’s Oulart-the-Ballagh in Carlow this weekend.
“It’s fantastic to see,” he said. “They’re a very young team and it’s very exciting for Dublin hurling really that they’ve made the impression they have.
“It might be an inconvenience (for Dublin) at the moment but in general it’s great that they’re now in a Leinster final. It’s great for Dublin hurling.
“There was six of the Cuala panel in with us this year. So there’s the basis of a great team there.
And I think (manager) Mattie Kenny has brought something to the table there as well.
“They have Mark (Schutte) and David Treacy, Seán Treacy and Colm Cronin. They have some exceptional forwards.”
Cunningham had a moderately successful first season in charge of Dublin, seeing them retain their Division 1A status in the League and guiding them to an All-Ireland quarter-final, where they lost to Waterford.
As he gears up for season number two in the job he has revamped his backroom team.
Leaving are selectors Gearóid Ó Riain, Shay Boland and Ed Coughlan. In come Patsy Morrissey, who Cunningham knows from his days with Cork, and well-respected former Dub Liam Walsh
Ken Robinson, Chris Thompson, Caroline Currid and Brendan Egan remain on as part of the extended backroom and Cunningham hasn’t ruled out drafting in another selector before the start of the 2016 campaign.
The Dublin boss has also confirmed that no members of this year’s panel have retired and all of them will be making themselves available for selection next season.
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Cuala Donal Óg Cusack Fenway Hurling classic Ger Cunningham Dublin