THE DALY EXPRESS

In 1995 he banished the ghost of Biddy Earley and led the Clare hurlers to their first Liam McCarthy win since 1914. Now Anthony Daly is hoping to bring the Banner Roar to the Boys in Blue in his first season in charge of the Dublin hurlers. The All-Ireland winning captain spoke to Fired Up about taking the job and how it’s going so far.

So how did Anthony Daly become the Dublin manager?
It just came about through a phone call really. I was asked would I be willing to meet the County Board executive and have a chat about the job. I was reading as much as anyone, all the names being bandied about, so I just went along to hear what they had to say. Over the next few days I decided I’d go for it. Obviously we had to have a talk about it at home but I was interested in it so I said I’ll have a go. Fellas like myself get a buzz about being involved at this level and I’m really enjoying it at the moment, and have been since I started. It’s unbelievable how quick the five months have gone by. There’s been a lot of matches too so that has helped bring things along.

Was their much to think about before taking the job?
I’d been approached by two other counties, not saying I was offered jobs, but just approaches and, to be honest I wasn’t that keen on them. The board here were very specific in what they wanted to achieve and what they wanted to do. An awful lot of work had been put in before me by Tommy Naughton, it has to be said. It appealed to me, but some people would still think you’re mad. It’s not the hardest job in the world to take on either as the people involved are very realistic. In other counties like Clare, Tipp and Waterford, people are expecting big success winning All-Ireland’s every year even though everyone is playing catch-up with Kilkenny who are way ahead. The Dublin Board are very specific in what they want. They have made goals which are kept internal and private, and once we reach them we will be happy.

It seems the County Board were keen on looking for a big name appointment, what do you make of that?
I don’t know. That’s a question for the County Board I suppose. I couldn’t say what they were looking for really. There were lots of names mentioned at the time and they all seemed to be high profile either in terms of management or in their playing careers. I wouldn’t see myself as high profile, I’ve a job to do here and it’s nothing to do with my profile, it’s about getting the best out of the players.

Are you impressed with the Dublin set-up in terms of investing in the game at underage?
There seems to be an awful lot put in and you have to say fair play to the board and the powers that be for doing so much. I took Dublin Colleges for a training session recently and if I can join in to help at all and lend a hand I’m delighted to do so. Still the Senior team is my brief so that’s what I have to look at. Recently the Dublin U21s played a challenge against Tipp and I made it my business to go. I wouldn’t be as familiar with the scene as some others so it is important I keep an eye on the Minors and U21s. That is part of what I have to do, trying to spot players and bring them in.

You have seemed very willing to throw in the younger players?
When Clare won the Senior in 1997, the Minors won that year too, but only a few off that team came through. You have to keep the underage strong. The vast bulk of my team are 22 down to the likes of Liam Rushe at 19. These lads have an awful lot to learn still and it’s about making sure there is quality training to bring these lads on. You can be an excellent hurler but if the training is not right you won’t make it. When I’m long gone from Dublin they’ll be the lads giving the leadership to the young guys coming through.

The League campaign was very good. At the start you would have gladly taken survival in Division 1. You must be happy?
But that’s just what we did really, survive! In the very first game of the year we lost 6-12 to 0-12 against Kilkenny and that was a long drive home that night. But they have a gulf with every team and in the League I think we competed well. We caught Galway cold and beat them by eleven or twelve points, but that’s probably a false scoreline. We beat a weakened Cork side but overall we battled it out in every game.

Dublin is one of the few counties really putting the money where their mouth is in terms of developing hurling. Is it something that has impressed you seeing it first hand now?
There are lots of GPOs and some clubs have full-time coaches. In the older days you had lads like me getting taught by the teacher in the school, but that doesn’t happen as much now. The GAA have to be pro-active and to be fair they are. Dublin is certainly leading the way. You have to remember it’s not an easy game to pick up. I’ve three daughters at home and it’s very easy for them to kick a ball. There is no teaching the grip or technique. The next challenge is facility wise. There is a new development in the pipeline in Rathcoole and the quicker the next phase of that comes the better as Parnell Park is being overused and Dublin really needs a centre of excellence. They are ready to turn the sod on it soon seemingly, so that would be a great boost for the hurling and football in the capital.

Kilmacud Crokes star Ross O’Carroll recently chose to become involved with the hurling panel over the footballers. It must have been a great boost for the team?
That’s the challenge for us at the moment trying to attract lads to the hurling. The next dual star coming through the Minor ranks like Conal Keaney, we hope that hurling would have as much status as the football, albeit that both would hopefully be successful. There is a certain cult status at the moment with the boys on the hill and football. We’re delighted that Ross picked the hurling as it’s a great boost. It’s especially good for the people who helped develop him from underage as a hurler to see him come to us.

Speaking of the cult status, the hurlers are starting to build support and the boys on the Hill would surely give a great lift to everyone if they got behind the hurlers?
We’d love to have all the support behind us, but to be fair it’s getting better. At the Clare match we had five thousand even though the U21 Leinster Football final was on the same day. I’ve seen it in Clare even, in the early 90s everyone was following the football when they were doing well and then everyone followed us. There is a floating crowd following a lot of teams with success now, if we could tap into that it would be great for the players.

Of course Antrim will happily slip under the radar into Croker in June. How do you see it going?
We couldn’t be looking too far ahead during the League but we always had one eye on Antrim. It is an absolute dream for them to be playing us in Croke Park. There will be so much media attention on us that they can come in with no pressure against a team they have a very good record against. It’s a dream for Sambo, instead of playing New York in the Ulster Championship they are playing in Croke Park before the Dublin football game. We are under no illusions, it is pure 50/50 and everyone within our camp knows that. Looking back at recent results, Antrim have had the better of it so we will be taking nothing for granted even though we may be favourites after our League run.

Name: Anthony Daly
Age: 39
Club: Clarecastle (Clare)
Playing Honours:
2 All-Ireland SHC,
3 Munster SHC,
1 Munster Senior Club,
5 Clare Senior Club,
3 All-Star Awards.
Management Honours:
1 Clare U21 HC,
1 Clare Minor HC with Clarecastle,
1 Kerry Senior HC with Kilmoyley.

DUBVELOPMENT
The amount of work put in at underage will be key for the Dubs if they are to continue their progress on the hurling fields in the coming years. In 1993 when the powers that be decided to enter a combined Dublin Colleges team in the Leinster A Championship they allowed their young guns mix it with the traditional hurling nurseries. Seven years after the amalgamated side first entered the competition they had claimed their first Provincial crown at the expense of Good Counsel. Six years later, the Dublin side had reached an All-Ireland decider through the back door. The legendary St Flannan’s of Ennis were the next of the old powers to fall. Another Leinster title was claimed last year and such was the progress that in 2009 the Dublin schools were split into Dublin North and South. The split made little difference as Dublin South won it out in Leinster. Next year, Coláiste Eoin of Finglas will be striking it out alone. With more youngsters than ever getting exposed to the grade, the Dublin Minors will go from strength to strength.

BRINGING ON THE BUDS
With the work being put in by schools coach Tom O’Donnell being backed up throughout the county by Damien Byrne and Colm Burtchaell, the Senior set-up are already seeing some recent graduates make an impact this year.
Liam Rushe has been in sensational form so far in the League. He captained Dublin Minors in 2008 and was a member of their Leinster winning side two years ago. The teenager picked up the February Player of the Month award and has provided another major scoring threat to back up the established David O’Callaghan.

Another man fresh from the Minors who is pushing hard for a Championship berth is Cuala defender Oisín Gough. Attending UCD with county team-mate Rushe, he has forced his way into the reckoning.

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