Limerick have the MATERIAL to go the whole way according to JIMMY CARROLL The events of last year's All-Ireland hurling final have been well documented, if not overly so, at this stage. Offaly people don't mind hearing about their Houdini act but to Limerick folk, it is like a sharp twist of the knife. It also serves as a reminder of the Shannonsiders' previous appearances in Croke Park on Championship days. Both in 1980 and 1981, having emerged from a very competitive Munster division, the Green Army was hotly tipped to go all the way, but it wasn't to be. Jimmy Carroll was one of the young guns on that side, and he recognises the similarities with Tom Ryan's outfit. "Last year's final will never be forgotten. The game was there for taking. The problem was, however, that Offaly were playing poorly throughout and yet we couldn't put them away. There was always the danger that they could pick up. Unfortunately, we didn't punish them when the chances were there. Then they got the breaks and took the chances which came from them. "There is always the fear that this will have a bad effect on them just like 1981 had on us. After that I knew what disappointment was. It knocked my confidence and we never really came back from it. Limerick will have to win the All-Ireland this year. If they don't, it will have a negative effect. I think it's on .. I think Limerick will win the All-Ireland." Now 38, Jimmy is currently Materials Manager at Pako Europe Limited. He married Deirdre in 1987 and they reside in Rochestown, Ballyneaty with their two and a half year old daughter Christine. Born in Hospital, this stylish midfielder/centre-back played all his club hurling and football with Hospital-Hebertstown. Mirroring the fortunes of the county side, they progressed from being relatively successful, to getting oh so close, to entering a dreadful slump. Indeed Hospital-Herbertstown's demise was much more dramatic and marked than Limerick's. "In one of my first years, we won a Junior football title that was 1975. By 1983, we had dropped back down to that grade. That was to turn out as the best year in the club's history, as we won both the Junior hurling and football Championships. The double had never been done before in Limerick. We won the Intermediate hurling Championship in '87". There was no Intermediate grade in football so Hospital-Herbertstown had been competing at Senior level since their promotion in 1983. They contested three consecutive county finals from 1991-93, without ever managing to win it. "That has taken its toll on the club," reveals Jimmy. "Last year, it was difficult for the players to get motivated and this year it was even worse. We had problems fielding teams. Things had got to a crisis stage." The former inter-county star hung up his caman and boots last year, disillusioned with the dreadful state of affairs at his beloved Hospital-Herbertstown. But when it got to the stage where they were finding Intermediate hurlers not in a playing sense, but as coach and manager. At the time of writing, Hospital-Herbertstown have won their opening game under Carroll's stewardship. "I miss the playing and think I would still be playing only for the ridiculous amount of time needed to train." Indeed this is a cri de coeur of Jimmy's which he returns to later on. "I'm just as happy to see the younger lads playing anyway," he continues. "Things have picked up a lot now and having despaired, I am now optimistic. I feel we have a chance of winning the Championship this year," It is at this point of our chat he becomes animated, discussing his hobby horse. Which is? In the good words of Con Houlihan, "now read on". "I don't like the way players are being treated or mistreated. The amount of commitment needed just to turn out for your club is crazy. Nowadays there is training two or three nights a week, plus a game at the weekend. Too much training is going to bring about downfall of club GAA. "This is something I feel strong about," he adds. "Most players just want a game. They want to enjoy themselves and to be of the scene. This crazy tribal commitment is not needed. Professionalism has crept into the game. We are losing sight of the fact that most fellas just want play. This is why other sports are getting more support. They have a number of teams so that everyone can get a run. "I understand that if you are trying to win a Senior Championship you need a certain level of commitment, but these teams are in the minority. "There is a tremendous level of enjoyment to be got out of playing hurling and football. When I started off I was also playing rugby. When it came to the time a choice had to be made I went for the GAA because I enjoyed it more. There was less pressure. The only pressure was what I put on myself, to get better and to improve my skills." Listening to Carroll and his views, it is little surprise that he names Harry Greensmith, Limerick's PRO until the start of this year, as his greatest influence. "Harry is a Hospital-Herbertstown clubman. He was a great trainer, who never pushed a guy too hard. All he offered was simple encouragement. He wasn't into winning at all costs. For him it was all about having fun. That's what I am trying to do with the lads this year." And they should listen to their mentor's words of wisdom and adopt his philosophy, because by going out to enjoy himself, Jimmy Carroll made such an impression that he was considered good enough to don the green and white jersey for 16 years, from 1974 to 1989. "I played Minor hurling and football in '74 and '75 and Under 21 hurling and football debut in '78 but gave up inter-county football after two years because it was just too much." Jimmy distinctly remembers his Senior hurling debut. "It was a Munster semi-final in Cork against Tipperary. I was picked at centre-forward and although we won handily I didn't play well. Thereafter I was moved to midfield, although I played most of my club football at centre-back." Carroll won two Munster medals ('80, '8!), three League souvenirs ('80, '84, '85) and three Railway Cup mementoes ('81, '84, '850, with the first provincial one coming as a sub. Yet he feels that Limerick never realised their potential. "We didn't have too much to show for having a very talented team. I remember the 1980 All-Ireland final distinctly. It was great to play with Eamonn Cregan and Joe McKenna who did a lot to help me improve my game. They were so disappointed afterwards. I wasn't feeling too badly because I thought we'd get a couple of more chances .. that's youth. It was definitely a chance lost. "That was no fault of our manager, Noel Drumgoole, Lord have mercy on him, who had prepared the team as well as he could. He was a man I had great time for, he had insisted that players from all grades were looked at with a view towards making the county panel. Only for that I would have been gone. "Going back to the game, I think that three or four people never performed on the day. Galway were hungry, eager and had the extra edge. They were phenomenal. I can't recall much about the game itself because an All-Ireland final goes so quickly. I was happy enough with my own game . I hurled a nice bit of ball." It was the loss at the penultimate hurdle to the same opposition the following year which provided the black helmeted midfielder with the biggest disappointment of his distinguished career, even if he did produce the game of his life. "That was my first real disappointment and remains the worst. There were four or five minutes left, I was moved to centre-back after Sean Foley had been sent off and we were two points up. Then myself and Joe Connolly were sent off for something silly and Galway got back for a draw." Carroll and Connelly walked off the field that day with their arms around each other. It was a tremendous sight and typical of two of the game's great gentlemen. It's no surprise to hear the Limerickman say that they are good friends. They were back for the replay. "We never played well that day and were missing three players through injury. We lost and never recovered." Retirement from the inter-county scene came in 1989. If the second defeat to Galway provided him with the low point on his career, the previous year's Munster final win was the highlight. That, the Senior Colleges' Football Championship with De La Salle, Hospital in 1975, and the club double in 1983. But '80 and '81 remain a haunting memory. Are the current crop headed in the same direction? "Well, Tipperary have improved and Clare had a good win over Cork but Limerick have the edge over them. I'll be surprised if they don't win the Munster Championship at least. They are one of the top three teams in the country, but Kilkenny are going to be the side to beat. "Limerick have a number of above average hurlers in their squad. Mike Houlihan and Ciaran Carey provide a strong midfield, while Dave Clarke is the most skilful hurler to come on the scene since Eamonn Cregan. An injury free Ger Hegarty is imperative to the team. Gary Kirby is a prolific score-getter and Damien Quigley can be exceptional if on his game. "I think they have a great chance of winning the All-Ireland. They have to. I'd be very surprised if they don't beat Tipperary." If they don't it could be curtains. Taken from Hogan Stand Magazine 16th June, 1995 Tweet

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