Laois hurler Matthew Whelan is enjoying life under new manager Teddy McCarthy.

Having stagnated for the past couple of seasons, the O'Moore County needed a boost. They seemed to be drifting, going nowhere fast, losing ground on counties they once stood toe-to-toe with comfortably. Something had to be done to arrest the slide; the appointment of Cork legend Teddy McCarthy as senior hurling manager could be just what the doctor ordered. Borris-in-Ossory clubman Matthew Whelan - a permanent fixture on the panel since 2007 - is confident that Laois are about to turn the corner:

"So far, so good," he confirms when asked about the high-profile new management set-up in the midlands. "Teddy is trying to rebuild the team and the work he has done so far has been very encouraging. He is really professional in his approach - as are the rest of the backroom team - so I'm delighted with the appointment."

Just how much of a boost is it for Laois hurling to see a man with the national standing of McCarthy coming in to take over the team? "In fairness, I think most intercounty players would wish to have a former player of the calibre of Teddy McCarthy managing them. It's an honour to work with him and he brings a very high profile to hurling in the county as everybody realises what he has done on the playing field."

While it would be only natural to feel intimidated or awe-struck by the presence of one of the greats of the game in your dressing-room, Matthews says McCarthy's easy-going nature ensured that there were no barriers from the word go. "When I first met him he seemed very down to earth and I think that's the impression we all got because everybody took to him very quickly. The sense of awe didn't last too long because Teddy has a very calming effect on everyone and he is a good player's manager."

What are the goals for Laois hurling and how long might these take to realise, especially bearing in mind that the manager was quoted saying it could be next year before we see the best of his team? "We're just trying to rebuild after results didn't go our way these last two or three years. Clearly, we are going the right way about it by hiring Teddy. I suppose the first target is to get back to the same level as Offaly and Wexford again, because we have slipped back a bit. I wouldn't expect to get results straight away; it will be a slow building process.

"Of course, people will want to see immediate results, but in a county like Laois it might take time to get things right. Having said that, I'm confident we can get back our status. We have the players but we suffer from a lack of confidence and a lack of experience of winning. We are training hard and we are preparing for a tough league and a tough championship this year. We have to start somewhere, but everyone is on board and we will take it one game at a time and see where that takes us…"

Does Matthew ever tire of the constant comparisons with Dublin? For some reason, the world and its uncle seems to have decided that the O'Moore County and the Metropolitans should be measured by the same yardstick, which doesn't reflect favourably on Laois since the Dubs have powered forward under Anthony Daly…

"To be fair, Dublin are the model we are trying to follow. We were able to beat them a few years ago and now they are aiming for an All-Ireland. They seem to have pulled away from us but the gap isn't really that big and we are hoping that Teddy can help close that for us."

In the new-look national hurling league, Laois will find themselves in Division 1B, alongside Wexford, Offaly, Limerick, Antrim and Clare. They'll open their campaign in Tullamore on Sunday, February 26th. "The league this year, the way it's set up, is going to be the most challenging I've been involved in since I joined the panel six years ago," Matthew notes. "Because of the quality of sides in our division, we are already regarded as favourites to get relegated. We are definitely underdogs and it's going to be difficult but our players really want to play against good teams so we are looking forward to it.

"Time will tell whether or not the new system works for Laois. The likes of Carlow and Westmeath are down there below us and they can consider themselves unfortunate that they don't get to play in the second division - I would have a lot of respect for Westmeath hurling. But we're happy to be playing against the likes of Clare and Limerick and we have no fear of either of them. We know we won't be going into those games as favourites but we expect to learn a lot from them."

As for the championship, Matthew is looking forward to a possible Leinster clash with Dublin. "We have Carlow in the first round and the winners will go on to play against Dublin. Obviously, we can't look any further than the Carlow game but playing against a decent level of opposition in the league should set us up nicely for the championship."

What has been the high point of Matthew Whelan's intercounty hurling career to date? "Well, I'm hoping my Laois career goes on for another while and that there are more high points to come," he quips. "For now, I would have to say beating Westmeath to win Division Two in my first year on the team. Also, a few years ago, we had a good run in the championship. Galway beat us and we regrouped to beat Antrim before pushing Limerick all the way." That Round Three Qualifier at Thurles in July 2009 finished on a scoreline of 0-20 to 1-14, with the Treaty County only getting on top in the last five minutes.

As far as low points go, Matthew cites the crushing defeat to Cork last year, adding that the nature of that hammering hurt the players badly and that they are intent on righting a few wrongs in the months and years ahead.
Preparation-wise, the Laois hurlers are working every bit as hard and meticulously as their counterparts in Kilkenny, Tipperary or Galway. "This is the time of year to do the hard slog. At the moment, we're training on Tuesdays and Fridays and we also have a match or something most Saturdays and Sundays. Each player is also expected to do two weights sessions during the week.

"We have a very good set-up, including a nutritionist and fitness trainer, and the County Board is providing everything we need, which is great. Everybody has a proper routine to follow in terms of what they can eat etc. and you have to take every step to make sure you are matching what the other counties are doing."

The arrival of Teddy McCarthy could herald the dawning of a brave new era for Laois hurling and Matthew Whelan for one can't wait for the 2012 action to commence in earnest: "It's going to be an interesting year and I'm really looking forward to the longer evenings, the dry ball and the hard ground. That's what every hurler in the country looks forward to," he concludes. Tweet

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