*James Hickey among the Kilmallock panel of players. Photograph: Sport Action Photography
CRATLOE’s James Hickey maintained Clare’s winning link with Kilmallock in the Limerick SHC.
In the highpoint of his managerial career, the thirty one year old managed Kilmallock to win their thirteenth Limerick SHC and take the Daly Cup from reigning champions Na Piarsaigh 3-19 1-22.
Shane O’Brien, Oisin O’Reilly and Graeme Mulcahy struck the second half goals for the Balbec with Mulcahy’s late long strike producing a howler from Na Piarsaigh goalkeeper Shane Dowling.
Champions for the first time since 2021, Kilmallock’s success with Clare managers continues. The last four times they have won the Daly Cup they have done so with Banner natives at the helm, Hickey following in the footsteps of Tony Considine (2010, 2012, 2021) and Ger ‘Sparrow’ O’Loughlin (2014).
Following in their footsteps brought a degree of pressure, he admitted. “Two great Clare men, Tony was involved with me before in Cratloe so I’d have great time for him and the same for Sparrow, it’s funny “It’s funny, Jason Earls our selector would have often reminded me that if we didn’t win today, that I’d be the first Clare man to fail so there was a small bit of pressure going in today”.
Hickey was also referencing Sparrow’s younger brother Fergie whom he worked alongside as a coach in 2023 for Doon’s senior hurlers when they lost the semi-final following penalties to Na Piarsaigh. “There’s a good friend of mine Fergie O’Loughlin, his brother Sparrow would have managed Kilmallock before, he gave me a great piece of advice, there is no point peaking when should be puking or no point puking when you should be peaking, this year we timed our run a little better. When you saw Na Piarsaigh in round one and Doon in round two, if you’re not up to the pitch of your game then you will be found out. We won those two games and everything took off, this year they have won so many ways, they won playing really well, they won with fourteen men, they won against fourteen, they won playing poorly, they just don’t know how to give in at this stage, I’m so delighted for the panel of players”.
Arguably one of his biggest coaching influences has been Davy Fitzgerald. He was part of the Sixmilebridge man’s backroom team with Wexford, Waterford and the Cork camogie side but not Clare despite reports in The Irish Examiner. “You know that I’ve worked an awful lot with Davy [Fitzgerald] and he always would have said to me after games that it’s the outpouring of emotion. That was the one thing today that I got to experience. I see people come out, like players crying, young people crying. It’s just a great outpouring for the team and a town that are so connected. They just live and die for hurling. They just enjoy being in each other’s company. They just get behind each other and never-say-die attitude from the players”.
