IAHC: Micheál McGrath proud of Aghabullogue's resolve

Aghabullogue created a piece of unwanted history last year.

Since the restructuring of the county championships in 2020, a few teams had had to contest a relegation play-off in the year after promotion but all had managed to survive.

Such a run had to end at some stage and the Coachford side were the unlucky ones - first in being among six teams on two points, with scoring-difference the decider, and then losing to Kilworth after a replay.

However, the equal and opposite reaction has seen them make it back to the final of the Co-op SuperStores IAHC that they won two years ago. They take on Bandon at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh tomorrow (3.30pm) and manager Micheál McGrath is full of praise how his players responded to relegation.

“It would have been very easy for them to feel sorry for themselves,” he says.

“We can complain, but I suppose sometimes you make your own luck and maybe we were just off the pace that little bit last year.

“Things didn't fall for us, but we should have been better last year. That's a bone of frustration, certainly, for me - we could have been better last year, we should have been better last year.

“But, everything has come from that. It's not just me saying it for the sake of saying it, the lads have really been the ones driving it.

“We also brought in a new coach. Obviously, Seánie [Micheál’s brother, the former Cork hurler] came in to help out but we also brought in Cormac O'Reilly and he's freshened things up as well. His coaching is top-class.

“A different voice can give you a bounce and that adds a bit of a freshness and a spark to training, and the lads are looking forward to the year then as well.”

Tomorrow’s game was due to be played on October 18 but had to be postponed due to inhospitable weather conditions. Then, with Aghabullogue having football commitments - they are through to the AIB Munster Club IFC semi-finals - and the hurlers also having players from other football clubs, finding a date for the fixture proved tricky.

“We have the lads from Cill na Martra, who were brilliant, the Fureys [Seán and Cianie] and Danno Dineen, and we have TJ [Buckley] from Aghinagh,” McGrath says.

“You're trying to respect everyone, everyone is pulling from them. Whoever is taking priority in a given week, you have to give that time to that group as well.

“It's just about managing the situation. Unfortunately, for the small group of maybe five or six guys who are only playing hurling, it's very difficult for them to keep focus.

“It was harder for them than it was for us, but at least we can see the light at the end of the tunnel now at this stage.”

The circumstances have meant that the chance for proper training has been limited but McGrath prefers to focus on the positives.

“At this stage, you’re not going to improve their hurling, or certainly not their fitness, by flogging them,” he says.

“It’s just about keeping them fresh because, as much as anything, it’s about dealing with the mental fatigue - you’re up and then you're down.

“I will also say to give credit to the lads, they’re the ones pushing it more so than us.

“I was getting texts on Monday night that they were doing their own recovery at Brookfield after the football game and that was nothing coming from us. We’re very lucky.

“You're just trying to make sure that they're happy, that they'll enjoy the sessions, but also then they have to be aware that there's a job to be done, too.

“Every team has their five or six points that you want to hammer home to a group with regards to tactics, and we'll be reaffirming them.”