Development an integral part of Kelly’s brief

Describing Micheál Kelly as a novice in any hurling capacity feels counterintuitive at the very least, given that this is a man who won county medals for his club 18 years apart in 2005 and 2018 and another ten in between, not to mention 92 league and championship games for Roscommon across 11 seasons, scoring 8-113 in that time despite playing most of his hurling in the half-back line.

In management terms, however, he is finding his way in what is his first season at the helm of his home club. Starting fresh, but without tearing everything down to build it up all over again, was his approach to this season.

“I was coming in with no experience behind me at all, I've worked a bit with the underage the year before, that was about it,” he explained to the Roscommon Herald.

“The lads that I brought in with me as well, this is all new to us. The question was, what can we do to build on last year? Because the minute we took the job there was pressure on in terms of like, they've three-in-a-row in their bag. Can we try and develop them and bring them on a bit further? Now look it, we're back to a county final but at the end of the day we're going to be judged on whether we can deliver or not”.

Kelly was pleased to see his players produce their best performance of the year against Pádraig Pearses in the semi-final, but knows that a repeat is necessary on Sunday against Oran.

“We struggled really, up until that Sunday against Pearses and it was the first time we really performed and clicked. Now to say that we're coming right at the right time, it’s one game, we have to back it up now or else it's for nothing really.

“We knew the performance was in them, we just needed to see it in championship mode. We were getting over the line and getting over the line will work so many times, but your luck is going to run out. I was more delighted for the lads more than anything else, that they just let the shackles off and got going”.

Player development was always going to be very high on Kelly’s agenda, considering the age profile of the panel. It was made easier, however, by the physical condition of those players, which enabled their management to go straight to working on skills and team play.

“They're all fit, all the young lads coming through now, be it in any club,” is his observation.

“They're all brought up with this new regime of fitness, so it was just about trying to develop them and getting a style of play. We honed in on ball work, skills and stuff like that.

“The experience that they're getting, even from playing football where they've all been involved in county teams from underage up along, a lot of the work is done when they come to us. It's just about how we can fit them into a system that suits them here.

“It has taken a good while. It's just about building layers every year. They can play whatever game you want, it's just a matter of trying to see what kind of system suits them best really.” 

As part of that development, Kelly’s views on the debate about Roscommon teams hurling in Galway are very clear. The topic has moved up the list of conversation points in the county following comments from some local hurling administrators in a national newspaper recently.

“One hundred per cent, I would be in firm, firm favour of getting into Galway, even starting at Junior A level,” he asserted.

“It would benefit Roscommon hurling, there are some serious teams in Junior A in Galway”.

The topic has been a source of controversy as some teams have sought permission to play in Galway at various age groups, but the fixtures have not been formally recognised by the Roscommon CCC, leading to clashes.

Kelly would like to see the county replace the local hurling leagues with participation across the board in Galway leagues, similar to the model employed in Carlow and Kilkenny.

“Here in Roscommon, we have a junior championship, then you're straight into a senior league and then senior championship.

“You can potentially play the same team nearly four or five times in a year and, to me, that isn't an answer or a benefit to anyone. If you could swap out the senior league in Roscommon and play a junior or an intermediate league in Galway, then let the Roscommon clubs find their level in Galway.

“Then you're going out against a team that doesn't know anything about you. You're learning, you're coming up to the speed and level they're at. And to me, you can only promote the game and actually drive on clubs because they're getting more exposure to hurling. It's not the same six or seven teams that are playing each other every year.” 

Some of the hesitancy to seek a solution like this has stemmed from concerns about fielding teams when there is the possibility of longer road trips for away games, particularly at underage level. The view of the former Roscommon star is that issues surrounding numbers are a genuine but separate issue, and that a new approach might entice more players to get involved.

“I'd put it out to each club and say, if they want to participate in it, the option is there. From a Roscommon league point of view, if you're struggling for players, you're struggling.

“Will you learn a bit more by going that extra bit and playing someone new altogether and at a higher level, or you go up the road and play the same team four or five times in the same year and, at the end of the year, you're kind of asking yourself, have we actually come on any bit?

“Personally, I think it's always good to do something new, do you know what I mean? It's all about learning. That's where hurling in Roscommon has to start. It has to start at a level where you're actually learning, first of all, you're developing them, and then you start setting goals for yourself,” he concluded.