Shane Kingston says transition is not an excuse for Cork hurlers in 2023

Having previously worked under new Cork hurling manager Pat Ryan, Shane Kingston is delighted that the Sarsfields man is once again part of the inter-county set-up.

Ryan, who guided the Rebels to the 2020 and 2021 All-Ireland U20 hurling titles, was coach in 2017 when Kingston’s father Kieran led Cork to the Munster title. Now, with the elder Kingston having departed, Ryan is the choice to succeed him and Shane Kingston can’t wait for 2023.

“He has a great hurling brain,” he says.

“From working with him in 2017, he maybe sees things a bit differently, that other people don’t see.

“He’s great, he’s a fella you can talk to if you need anything, which goes a long way. Obviously, we’re delighted to have him back again.

“In 2017, when things finished up, when my Dad left and Pat left, we probably felt we had something to give still, so we’re all thrilled now that Pat’s back.”

Cork’s first action in the new year will be against Kerry and Limerick in the Co-op SuperStores Munster Hurling League. At the launch of that competition last week, Ryan was quick to dismiss any talk of a period of transition as he adapts to the job and Kingston feels the same.

“I’d be in agreement,” he says.

“Obviously, you’re not going to train for eight months to transition for 2024. Every year you go playing you want to win an All-Ireland so no, I’d be looking to the near future rather than the far-off future.”

A big help in that regard is the fact that, like Kingston so many of the players have experience of working under Ryan, negating the need for a bedding-in period.

“I think everyone has worked with him, bar maybe one or two,” Kingston says, “I don’t think Mark Keane has but he was away.

“Pat doesn’t need any introduction. He was with us in 2017 when we won the Munster and he’s won All-Ireland U20s with a lot of the fellas.

“We’re obviously delighted to have him involved again.”

Ryan’s predecessor Kieran Kingston was manager of the county in 2016 and 2017 – having previously served as selector and coach under Jimmy Barry-Murphy – before returning for the past three seasons.

His son Shane accepts it will be a change for departing boss.

“Obviously, he loves hurling, he’s a hurling man so our relationship is probably based around hurling,” he says.

“He was involved with Cork for eight of the last 10 years, so I suppose it’s hard to just flick a switch and not think about it or talk about it. He’s slowly getting used to not going training in the evening. Plenty of golf anyway and doing a bit of travelling and making up for lost time!”

“This time of year, it’s pre-season and it’s more of a hard slog. A couple of months’ time when we’re playing out in Thurles or Páirc Uí Chaoimh, he’ll probably be missing it then.”

He certainly doesn’t expect any change in terms of treatment, as, regardless of blood, he was the same as any player as Cork went in search of success.

“I don’t think from my perspective there was much benefit, to be honest!” he laughs.

“No, he treated me the same as everybody else, really. Obviously, it’s a bit more awkward when you go home and I’m after being whipped off or not starting.

“Obviously, there’s a bit of tension at home but we try and keep it separate as much as we can, but I was kind of used to it anyway from 2016 and 2017. It wasn’t anything that I wasn’t used to anyway.

“I got taken off in the first half of a game, Jack O’Connor did, Shane Barrett did – so it wasn’t like I was singled out or anything. It was just the change was needed and at the end of the day if management felt it was for the benefit of the group.

“Obviously, nobody likes being taken off but if things work out you’d be happy out as long as you win.”