Rowland enthused by Gleeson appointment as Laois hurling manager

By John Harrington

Laois hurling goalkeeper, Enda Rowland, believes the appointment of Darren Gleeson as team manager will help the Midlanders raise their level.

He was impressed with the job Gleeson did during his five years in charge of the Antrim hurlers and is hopeful he can bring a similar level of organisation to Laois.

"We're very enthused by the appointment of Darren and really looking forward to getting working with him,” says Rowland. “He did brilliant work in Antrim. When he took Antrim, they were probably a year or two behind Laois and it's probably gone the opposite way now.

“It kills me to say that but it's probably the reality of it now with Antrim being up in Leinster. He did well and they got a few very good results up there. He made Corrigan Park a fortress too. I don't think too many top-tier teams wanted to go up to Corrigan Park to play Antrim.

“They weren't too comfortable there, with the results against Wexford and Clare up there. So we're very enthused with Darren. Just in the initial meeting, he met a few players and he seems really clued in and really organised. We're looking forward to working with Darren."

Rowland believes the biggest priority for Laois in 2025 should be to secure qualification for the 2026 Leinster Championship by winning the Joe McDonagh Cup having fallen just short in this year’s Final against Offaly.

"It's huge,” says Rowland of promotion back to the top tier of hurling. “Make no bones about it, we were extremely disappointed with the Joe McDonagh final loss to Offaly. The bit of experience and hurt from the year before probably helped Offaly get over the line and they were fully deserving winners.

“It's important that we get back up because next year you're looking at Carlow, Westmeath and Laois. At least one of those teams isn't going to be in the final so somebody is going to end up very disappointed. It's our job to make sure that we're one of those teams in the final and try to use the hurt of this year to push us on.

“You want to be up hurling in the Leinster Championship. That's progression. But when you get up there, you want to be staying instead of coming straight back down. That's the goal now."

For now Rowland is fully focused on captaining Ireland in Saturday’s Hurling-Shinty International against Scotland in Cusack Park in Ennis, an honour he doesn’t take lightly.

“It's unbelievable,” he says. “You think captaining your club is a huge honour, captaining your county is a huge honour but when you're asked to captain your country in the only time you can hurl for your country - it's an unbelievable honour.

“It's huge like. It's a once in a lifetime thing, captaining your country. Probably never come again. Like even if you're on it again, you probably don't get to do this a second time. So make the most of it. But then in the back of your mind you want to make sure you win the game. A lot more enjoyable when you win it.

“You’re aware of the seriousness with Flower of Scotland playing or Amhran na bhFiann. If you're doing it the first time and you're standing there with Flower of Scotland playing or Amhran na bhFiann playing, you know you’re in something serious. It's a national game for both teams. Both teams are taken very serious.

“No team wants to get out there and lose on Saturday week. We’re at home, we don't want to lose. They were sour enough being bet last year. We know they're going to come back and be hungry this year.

“So yes, it's a once off game, but if you're doing something you want to do it right and you want to win.”

Scotland always bring a high level of enthusiasm and physicality to the game and Rowland, who has played the hybrid code on four previous occasions, has learned the key is to keep the ball moving as quickly as you possibly can.

"I suppose the big thing is that the rules are the same but you can't catch or kick the ball. Now, I can catch the ball in the small square but you have your four steps and you release it after that.

“But I wouldn't be holding on to the ball too long in there. The last time I played I brought my two favourite goalie hurls and they were both snapped below the grip, an inch below my thumb, so you wouldn't want to be holding on for too long.

“You make sure that there's a good touch and then get rid of it fairly quick. It's different. Sometimes in hurling there's a shot taken off the ground, the ball is rising and it comes at pace. That's nearly every shot from the boys playing shinty. It's rising from the ground and it's nearly picking up more pace.

“Like, if you ever see a lad whipping on a ball from the 14 in hurling, it's in the net before you know it. They're the kind of shots you'd be getting. You wouldn't be getting a ball rifled at you from waist or shoulder height and going down low. It's starting low and coming high so that's a different challenge.

“Other than that it's the same as lads outfield, making sure it doesn't touch your hand and kind of adjusting your touch. When you are able to catch the ball and you're touching it, you're keeping it close to your body.

“But you'd nearly want to have your first touch out from your body a bit so you can get a strike on it. I find there's a big change in the touch with hurling and shinty."

Tickets for the Ireland v Scotland Shinty-Hurling International are available HERE.

Saturday, October 26

Hurling-Shinty International

Ireland v Scotland, Cusack Park, Ennis, 3.30pm.

Hurling Shinty International - Ireland Senior Team:

Enda Rowland, Abbeyleix – Laois

Luca McCusker, Lisbellaw St. Patrick's - Fermanagh

Eoghan Cahill, Birr - Offaly

Caolan Taggart, Portaferry – Down

Eoin Cody, Ballyhale Shamrocks - Kilkenny

Ben Conneely, St Rynagh's - Offaly

Steven McBride, Setanta - Donegal

Cian Darcy, Kilruane MacDonagh's - Longford

Cianan Fahy, Ardrahan - Galway

Martin Keoghan, Tullaroan - Kilkenny

Tomás Keyes, Camross - Laois

Dan Morrissey, Ahane - Limerick

Tom Morrissey, Ahane - Limerick

Killian Sampson, Shinrone - Offaly

Jason Sampson, Shinrone - Offaly

Daithí Sands, Portaferry - Down

James Toher, Trim - Meath

Gerard Walsh, O'Donovan Rossa - Antrim

Aidan McCarthy, Inagh-Kilnamona - Clare

Shane Meehan, Banner - Clare