Heralded Limerick coach Paul Kinnerk reflects on 'dream' year

Paul Kinnerk won his second All-Ireland title as a coach this year, having moved from Clare to Limerick.

Limerick's All-Ireland win was no fluke. After years of success at underage, this young crop were given the best coaching all the way up, and things finally clicked in 2018.

One man who was praised for his significant impact was Paul Kinnerk. Having helped Clare to All-Ireland success in 2013, he did likewise with his native county this year.

However, he wasn't always hurling-first.

"[Gaelic] football would've been my number one even though I would've played hurling for my club and the county up until minor but football then took over," explained Kinnerk. "I had a heap of injuries around 21-24 and that ruled me out for a while but it just so happened I was teaching in Shannon at the time with famous Clare hurler Sean Stack and I got involved with him with Sixmilebridge with the U21 team and things went well, we won a championship.

"I then got involved in the Clare minors and this happened between 2008-2010 when I was injured so all of a sudden I was on board a train if you like.

"I got on a train and it was very hard to get off it."

Kinnerk took the step up to the Banner seniors. After taking a break, he returned for one more year in 2016.

"We were fortunate enough to win the League that year. Unfortunately, the Championship didn't work out the way we would have hoped. I went back probably that year with the intention that it was going to be a one-year thing being upfront with the Clare players with regard to that.

"It just so happened that the opportunity came to work with Limerick at that time. It wasn't the case of leaving Clare for Limerick, it was a case that I was just going back that year with Clare, that was it."

Kinnerk was drawn to his native Limerick by John Kiely.

"John as a manager has all the traits you want to see in terms of the leadership qualities he brings, the organisational qualities. Then he has got the x-factor in terms of his ability to just deal with people. He has that from being a principal, from being a father, knowing when to hit the right notes with certain players, and how to manage certain situations.

"He just has that innate ability to manage situations, he obviously has a great hurling brain and tactical mind as well. Just a great guy to be around, that is the biggest thing."

Kinnerk's coaching ability was married with a hugely talented emerging crop in Limerick, and it was a match made in heaven.

"I was very fortunate to have players of the quality of Kyle Hayes, etc to work with that are receptive to the game plan that we would've had in mind and they would've been very much part of that as well so the players would've been involved in a process that suits them as well as the management so it's very much a mutual thing.

"Having guys like Kyle and Cian [Lynch], and you could name a dozen more, is just phenomenal. They have all the attributes that the modern day hurler should have with their speed and agility and their skill."

The Treaty reached the promised land in August, and the coach still pinches himself.

"Obviously as a Limerick-man it would have been a dream for that to happen since I got involved in coaching one of the goals I would have set out to achieve. To achieve it has been incredible, it hasn't hit home yet."