U20 hurling: ‘Offaly were the better team’, admits O’Brien
When it was put to Westmeath U20 hurling manager Kevin O’Brien after last Wednesday’s Leinster championship defeat (2-22 to 3-9) in Kilcormac that his troops had produced a decent first half, but a very disappointing second half, he immediately concurred.
“Yes, absolutely,” he responded, before adding, “we only had 11 sessions with the lads, and that’s not enough. Our lack of fitness told in the second half. We were completely written off before the game, but the lads gave a good account of themselves.
“It’s been a strange year. It was all over the place. We had a couple of sessions in, then the lockdown came in March. Then another few – it’s not enough.
“Look, Offaly were fitter and better prepared. I can’t say ‘best of luck to them in the next round’, because I don’t know if there’s going to be a next round! We have to take it on the chin, they were the better team and they beat us fair and square.”
The bainisteoir also accepted that his charges ‘lacked conviction’ on the change of ends, opining: “Yes, our decision-making went in the second half, and that comes down to the lack of fitness. The legs were gone and we used all five subs. We lost our shape completely in the last quarter.
“But they are a great bunch of lads and a lot of them are underage next year. When this Covid is over, we have to try and get them on strength and conditioning plans, and get them tuned in for next year.”
Social media outlets had been hopping prior to the game, speculating about some high-profile absentees. In this regard, O’Brien clarified: “It wasn’t because they with the seniors. There were injuries with some lads and other lads weren’t available. We picked from what we had.
“Josh Coll, Shane Williams and Charlie McCormack were all carrying knocks and we weren’t going to risk them when they weren’t 100 per cent. We played the Westmeath seniors last week and some of them pulled up after that.”
The match itself was in doubt on the eve of ‘Level 5’ restrictions. “We got clarification off Pat Doherty and the Westmeath County Board at 9.30am that it was going ahead. Then at 3.30pm we were told it was going ahead but that there would be no more rounds after it! Personally, I can’t see the sense in it, because if you are over 18 you are an adult.
“We travelled in a 54-seater bus to bring 20 players who were exercising social distance requirements. One to a car was also required, because we couldn’t have lads car-pooling.
“The one thing I have found between managing Clonkill and the county is that you need loads of help with the logistics. I left my phone down for two days and I had 100-plus WhatsApp messages when I switched it on again!
“But myself and John Shaw, Christy Murtagh and Ian Corrigan, we were happy to be asked to manage the team, and we volunteered to do it,” he concluded.
– Gerry Buckley