eir ambassador and hurler Shane Kingston of Cork, pictured at the launch of the third annual ‘eir for all’ Poc Tapa Challenge, which invites GAA clubs across Ireland to compete for €5,000 and the opportunity to play at Croke Park during All-Ireland Semi-Final Day. eir has been a proud partner of the GAA since 2011, with eir Wide-Fi powered by WiFi 7 giving fans lightning-fast streaming on GAA+, ultra-low latency for live matches, and reliable connectivity throughout their home.
By Cian O’Connell
Cork hurlers always enter the Munster SHC accompanied by expectation. Having triumphed in Division 1A of the Allianz Hurling League, Pat Ryan’s outfit face Clare in a highly anticipated provincial clash in Ennis on Sunday.
That is the next challenge Cork must embrace. For the past decade, Shane Kingston has been involved in the Cork senior set-up so is nicely placed to assess the strength of the panel. “It is probably the strongest that I've been involved in, really, which is great,” Kingston says.
“You've people fighting for the first XV, fighting to make the 26, fighting to get in there for day one really, it brings that competitive edge to training. There is always somebody trying to get the number off your back.
“So, everyone needs to be on song and driving on in training, in matches, and try to stay injury free coming into the Championship.”
Kingston continues to relish operating at senior level for Cork. “It is definitely still enjoyable,” Kingston explains.
“When you look back on it, I think it is scary to think how quick everything has gone. When I first came in, I was thinking I'm going to be here forever, and then 10 years later you're wondering where did the years go?
“I came into an environment where we won in '17 and '18, the two Munsters, thought we were going to be winning a medal every year, but we haven't won anything since.
“You've to make the most of it while you're involved because one thing Pat always says is they're the best days of your life. As you get a bit older, a bit more mature, you do realise that big time.”
Shane Kingston in action for Cork against Clare in the 2024 All-Ireland SHC Final at Croke Park. Photo by Daire Brennan/Sportsfile
Winning the Allianz League Final at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh against Tipperary, ahead of the Championship was a significant boost according to Kingston. “Yeah, definitely getting that bit of silverware was very nice,” he says.
“It has been a couple of years since we won a medal, so obviously it is great any time you win a national title. You've to enjoy it at the time, in the moment, but forget about it then fairly quick coming into Championship.”
Dealing with the hype and excitement is part and parcel of being a Cork hurler. “As you mentioned, there is a lot of talk and a lot of hype, but we're ignoring all of that,” Kingston says.
“It is irrelevant to us, really. We're just staying focused. Dealing with it, you try to stay off social media, not look at things. My life would be fairly structured so it nearly always avoid it which is great.
“You're always encouraged to stay off it, but if things do pop up, just swipe past it. Just ignore it. Any sportsperson would know to keep the outside out, to keep focused on yourself.”
The fact that emerging and established players are combining so effectively recently is a source of optimism for Kingston. “It is brilliant,” he says.
“A high performing environment is great to be involved in, especially when you're doing it with your best friends. That is even better. We've a mix of mature, middle aged, and kinda young fellas, we've a good blend. Fellas are really close, then, which is great.”
Another Cork Championship adventure will be launched on Sunday.
