"There's no prouder man in Thurles right now than me" - James O'Connor
Waterford's James Comerford pictured as he lifts the All Ireland minor hurling title.
Waterford minor manager James ‘Joxer’ O’Connor was cheered and hugged as he made his way back to the winning dressing room on Saturday evening.
“There's no words to describe it. An unbelievable feeling. All I have to do is just look out there, out into the middle of that field at the Waterford support. Grown men and grown women crying. It's as good as you're ever going to see. It's a dream come true. A lot of hard work over the years finally pays off. That's what any management wants. You must bring home the silverware and at last we brought it home so I'm delighted.”
This was an emotional day for the Lismore man. Three years ago, he broke down in tears after watching his Shamrocks Ballyhale side lose to Ballygunner in the All Ireland club final. He has finally reached the summit as a manger. “It hasn't even sunk in yet to be honest with you. It will be tomorrow or the day after. Look, I'm coaching for 17 years. I've been lucky enough to be in three All Irelands the last six years. Lost two, heartbroken the last day as you know. The win today makes up for everything. It's brilliant to win an All Ireland but it's even better to win it with your own. If I never win another thing again, I'm happy after today.”
Star man Cormac Spain twice got treatment in the first quarter but O’Connor never considered an early substitution. “He got problems from a hamstring early on. It was just about bearable for him to play so he kept going. You don't want to come off in an All Ireland final. I wouldn't take him off unless I really felt he had to come off. Look, he played through the pain. That's what you do in All Irelands. He won't feel that tomorrow morning! He has an All Ireland medal in his back pocket. That's the dream.”
The defensive effort delighted him. “I thought all the backs were outstanding I'll be honest with you. Some of the heroics in the last ten or fifteen minutes were unbelievable altogether. Bodies on the line, throwing themselves in front of hurleys and sliotars. Unbelievable to watch. They'd make you proud, there's no point in saying otherwise. There's no prouder man in Thurles than me.”
The start was everything they could have wished for. “The plan today was to come at it hard from the first minute. Going back to the semi final, we were hit with a sucker punch after a couple of minutes. We said we weren’t going to leave that happen again today. We attacked the game full on from the start. They banged in 1-2 early on in the game and that set us up. It broke the heart of the Clare players a little bit when they saw this wave of work rate and strength coming at them. To go in at half time ten points up is some cushion. I’ve been on the receiving end of that, going in eight or nine points down and I can tell you that’s a lot tougher dressing room to be inside. It was a case of going out again, doing the same and we’ll get a result. They’re a superb bunch. They believe now and that’s the biggest thing.”
‘Joxer’ asked the Waterford public to row in behind this team and they responded. “I think I should be in politics or something! Anyone I asked, they came out! Look, the support here today was unbelievable. Both stands full of Waterford supporters. I can’t thank them half enough. I was delighted I was able to deliver an All Ireland for them. They have really got behind this bunch of lads. I hope it continues over the next number of years and I’m sure it will because there’s a belief there now again. We need belief in our county. I think the future is very bright.”
Waterford saved their best for the All-Ireland semi-final and final. “Timing is everything. I'd love to be able to say that I planned all this but I didn't! This was the team growing game after game. Finally, we've seen over the last two games what they’re capable of. They're a very special bunch of players, they're a bunch of players that will have to be looked after over the next three or four years and developed and brought forward again for senior level.” The travel plans also went smoothly. “There was no problem with buses today I can tell you and I’m sure there won’t be a problem going home either! What an experience. It has been a rollercoaster from start to finish and that’s the best side of it. There’s going to be a great story to tell in ten years!”
