![\"Former](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/5052806_2_articleinlinemobile_Eamonn_20Cregan_203.jpg\" "\\"Former")
Former Limerick hurling manager Eamonn Cregan.<\/p>\n\u201cWhere did that ferocious determination out there today come from?\u201d asked Jim Carney of RT\u00c9.<\/p>\n
It’s 2001 and Limerick have just beaten Cork, who are out. A Munster SHC quarter-final, no second chances at this hurdle.<\/p>\n
So how did Limerick motivate themselves to dethrone a formidable Rebel outfit?<\/p>\n
\u201cThe media! Every single one of them wrote us off\u201d, blasted Eamonn Cregan, Limerick\u2019s manager, hellbent on changing the fortunes of his native county.<\/p>\n
He lets rip. Cregan is an icon in Limerick hurling.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Those who never saw him live, this writer included, have to be aware of his contribution to GAA, hurling in particular.<\/p>\n
Limerick, without a win in the province since 1997, pulled off the massive shock and went on to defeat Waterford to reach the Munster final. However, the county would have to wait until 2007 to win another game in Munster. That P\u00e1irc U\u00ed Chaoimh success came totally against the grain.<\/p>\n
Cregan added that the ‘Cork Examiner’ had claimed four of his players would \u201cbe afraid to go into a darkened room”. It was actually an unnamed former Limerick hurler quoted in the Irish Independent but what difference? “There is the answer today. They were the ones insulted and they\u2019ve proven they have what it takes to win.\u201d<\/p>\n
Two-and-a-half decades on, Cregan won\u2019t be drawn on that sideline interview, instead reflecting on the approach to the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe lead up to that was the previous year. We were with Cork until late on but we faded out of the game. We lost by nine points.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
So he rolled the dice in the build-up to the season opener. He enlisted support from two men who\u2019d been enjoying success in rugby \u2014 Mick Galwey and Niall O\u2019Donovan of Shannon and Munster.<\/p>\n
Former Limerick hurling manager Eamonn Cregan.<\/p>\n
\u201cComing into 2001, it was myself and Derry O\u2019Donovan (coach) who decided we needed something. We got Mick and Niall from Munster Rugby. They were well known, and they came in and gave us a talk. One thing Galwey said that checked in my mind was \u2018accept that the opposition are going to score on you\u2019.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“When Cork went ahead, I said to myself, \u2018Were they listening at training?\u2019 His side were huge underdogs but led from the off against the defending Munster champions. However, four unanswered points put the Rebels ahead entering the final 10 minutes in front of more than 40,000.<\/p>\n
\u201cPaul O\u2019Grady had a free. I shouted to him to aim for the \u2018S\u2019 of the Daily Star sign above the terrace. He split the posts perfectly to level the game, before Barry Foley cut over the winner. You don\u2019t see those too often these days!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Why the media? \u201cI had to hit out at somebody!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cregan believes that it was all part of motivation for his team. He felt his team were firmly dismissed in the build-up and that was fuel for his side.<\/p>\n
Motivation could come from different angles this Sunday for Limerick. A viral clip of Cork celebrating their 2025 Munster final win in a pub is cited. Some took offence, others laughed it off, but the three-time All-Star wasn\u2019t pleased to see it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat incident with Cork last year was below the belt. That was a bit low for me. My father had a very simple saying; \u2018Be humble in victory and gracious in defeat\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
Limerick have beaten Cork just once on Leeside in the Championship since that ambush 25 years ago. John Kiely has overseen wins over Cork in four venues but only once in P\u00e1irc U\u00ed Chaoimh \u2013 in 2022.<\/p>\n
Despite all their success since 2018, the former Offaly manager is under no illusions about the test that awaits his native county on Sunday.<\/p>\n
\u201cLimerick are going into the lion\u2019s den. There is very little between these two sides. It took penalties last year and now if Cork were fully intent on winning the League is another question. I am apprehensive, because it is a first game for Limerick. Some of the younger lads will be playing and the senior lads are going to encourage them and look after them. There is enough experience in the side to do that.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis team have done so much in the past, but that is forgotten. This is going to be a tough, tough match for Limerick.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019ll take Limerick time to settle and that first 20 minutes is the danger period for Limerick. They\u2019ve got to get up to the speed of the game. That game for Cork last week will be a great help to them in that regard, I\u2019d expect them to be a lot sharper from the start of the game.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“But I am sure Paul (Kinnerk) and John have looked at that side of it and they\u2019ve prepared accordingly \u2013 those first 20 minutes will count for a lot.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Aidan O\u2019Connor, Cathal O\u2019Neill, Adam English and Shane O\u2019Brien are expected to start, particularly given their early-season form.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re bringing a freshness to a side that has basically been the same players all along. They\u2019ve got to get to the rhythm of it, of how Paul wants them to play.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“Hurling is a simple game. When you are without the ball, 15 men defend, when you are with the ball you attack. To me, some of the players who have been in and out of the team haven\u2019t been playing well. So, it is up to them to raise their game, and to do it from the very start. If they don\u2019t do it from the start, that is where Limerick could be in a bit of bother.<\/p>\n
\u201cAaron (Gillane) had a superb League final. Aaron is so dangerous, we had him in Mary I. He always looked dangerous in those days, and he has confounded a lot of people even within Limerick with his ability to go where he has gone today.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
It is well known that Cregan can\u2019t sit and watch the county for whom he lined out between 1965 and 1983. Instead, he potters about at home awaiting second-hand information via his family.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know by the silence, I know by the shouts, one or the other. If they\u2019re silent we haven\u2019t won and if they\u2019re shouting, we\u2019ve won.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“If we win, I\u2019ll watch it back, it we lose, I won\u2019t. I hated losing, you know? Hated, hated losing. But sure, everybody is the same.\u201d<\/p>\n
The 80-year-old laughs. He will continue his own routine this Sunday, nervously awaiting the result before he and Limerick quickly move onto another old rival, Clare in their second bout.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cWhere did that ferocious determination out there today come from?\u201d asked Jim Carney of RT\u00c9. It’s 2001 and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":414967,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[2110,61,60,17406,112],"class_list":{"0":"post-414966","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports","8":"tag-cork-sport","9":"tag-ie","10":"tag-ireland","11":"tag-limerick-gaa","12":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/414966","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=414966"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/414966\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/414967"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=414966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=414966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=414966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}