*Alan Cunningham. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
SHANNON’s Alan Cunningham was part of the management which steered Limerick’s hurlers to a sixth All-Ireland SHC title since 2018.
Limerick powered past the challenge of Galway with Cian Lynch captaining the Shannonsiders to glory on a score of 1-29 1-18.
A key member of John Kiely’s management during their dominant era has been Cunningham. The former principal of St Caimin’s Community School has been part of the Limerick management since 2017.
Prior to this, Alan coached Na Piarsaigh to win their first and only All-Ireland club title in 2016. A former Clare hurler, he was the first Wolfe Tones clubman to line out at minor, U21 and senior level for his county.
With the Clare cause, he has been coach to Clare’s senior hurlers on two occasions, first during Anthony Daly’s tenure reaching two All-Ireland semi-finals and again under Mike McNamara when Clare reached the 2008 Munster final. He also served as a coach to Eamon Fennessy for the Clare minor hurlers in 2014.
He was coach of the Offaly senior hurlers when Ollie Baker was in charge of the Faithful County in 2012 and 2013.
Alan was back on the sideline this weekend but as part of the Wolfe Tones senior hurling management, having a key role in their Clare SHC opening round win over Sixmilebridge. He guided their return to the senior ranks with intermediate success in 2024. Before this, he was in charge when they won their maiden senior title in 1996 and further back he led the club to Féile success in 1987.
Central to the Limerick dominance has been their coach, Paul Kinnerk. Kinnerk’s parents are from West Clare, his mother hails from Kilkee and is father is from Doonbeg, they reside in Cratloe.
Paul was coach of the Clare senior hurlers who won the All-Ireland SHC in 2013 and coached the county’s U21 hurlers to win three Munster and All-Ireland U21 titles from 2012 to 2014 following on from their Munster minor success in 2010. His hurling coaching career began in Clare and has prospered ever since.
Kinnerk formerly taught at St Caimin’s Community School in Shannon where Cunningham recommended him to Donal Moloney and Gerry O’Connor when they were looking for a coach to the Clare minor hurlers.
