In his captain's speech following Limerick's victory over Kilkenny in last month's All-Ireland hurling final, Cian Lynch paid tribute to the team's strength and conditioning coach Cairbre Ó Cairealláin.
"A few of us came back in the winter on the wrong side of the scales," he said. Lynch was referring to himself, though thinking back now, he says 'wrong side of the scales' was too strong a phrase. He had not wintered liked a 1990s All-Ireland winner.
A month after his side's 2022 All-Ireland final victory over Kilkenny, Lynch had surgery on an ankle injury and spent the winter doing rehab.
"I was probably rehabbing maybe too much to an extent," says Lynch, the PwC GAA/GPA Player of the Month for July in hurling.
"You have to be able to switch off as well, and it's important when you're off for the winter that you do switch off, you do indulge, and you do go away and relax and enjoy every good thing there is to enjoy. Coming back, being able to work with a guy like Cairbre, is great.
"When you're not running, because you're rehabbing, you're probably not doing as much training. I hadn't trained since the week before the All-Ireland last year, and you're coming back, probably eating the same food you're [normally] eating, but you're probably not burning it off as much as you want to burn it off.
23 July 2023; Limerick strength & conditioning coach Cairbre Ó Cairealláin lifts the Liam MacCarthy Cup after the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship final match between Kilkenny and Limerick at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
"It's great to have that safeguard as well, that you know if you come back a small bit unfit or not in the best shape, Cairbre is going to work closely with you and get you right."
Paul Kinnerk - who Anthony Daly recently described as "an innovator" - was another of Limerick's backroom team to whom Lynch paid tribute in that speech.
"He's unreal," says the five-time All-Ireland winner.
"As a coach, he's phenomenal. He's a genius and I will always refer to him as a genius because his knowledge is second to none.
"It's hard to describe a genius, really, because they are a genius for reasons... people don't understand how they get that title.
"As a human, as a person, he's an absolute gentleman and someone that's really personal and someone that's really understanding of each individual's life outside of sport.
"He's a professional person on the pitch, a professional person off the pitch, someone you can pick up the phone and ring and bounce a few ideas off.
"He's someone I just really look up to and see him as a massive role model and massive influence on my own hurling, life and career.
"Paul is just a top, top man, and I can never speak more highly of a man than Paul."
23 July 2023; Limerick manager John Kiely, right, and selector Paul Kinnerk during the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship final match between Kilkenny and Limerick at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Limerick's victory party following the final ran into the middle of the week. Many moments from the celebrations bring a smile to Lynch's face but the one stands out.
"Coming back to The Woodlands, the night of it and seeing your parents, your family there waiting for you and just being able to spend time with them and have a bit of craic with them as well. Those intimate moments you kind of don't get a lot of the time," says Lynch.
"You're kind of going places, [people] pulling and dragging you to go different areas or do different bits. To have that moment after the game in Limerick in The Woodlands was special now."
The party was ended by a return to club training on the weekend following the All-Ireland. Lynch was back in action last Friday evening as his Patrickswell side defeated reigning Limerick SHC champions Na Piarsaigh.
That game featured several players who had lined out for Limerick in the All-Ireland final. Lynch, Aaron Gillane and Diarmaid Byrnes for Patrickswell and the Casey brothers, Mike and Peter, along with Conor Boylan for Na Piarsaigh. For Lynch, due to last year's injury troubles, it was a particularly special moment.
24 October 2021; Cian Lynch of Patrickswell is tackled by Kilmallock players Dan Joy, 4, and Aaron Costello, hidden, during the Limerick County Senior Club Hurling Championship Final match between Kilmallock and Patrickswell at TUS Gaelic Grounds in Limerick. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
"You're mad to go back into the swing of things. I hadn't worn a club jersey since 2021. I couldn't wait to get back going," he says.
"What a game to start off with, playing Na Piarsaigh. We all know each other so well from going to school and obviously playing with the lads on the Limerick team.
"To get a win was massive for us in Patrickswell. We're playing again [on Thursday evening against Doon], hopefully we can kick on."
Players from both sides, including Will O'Donoghue standing on the sideline in a protective boot, were mobbed by young supporters following the final whistle.
"That really is what it's all about," says Lynch, "seeing how it can influence a kid at whatever age, people of all ages, how sport can bring someone such joy, especially in times when people may be going through certain things in life, sport can pull someone out of that dark moment. That's all we really want, to see how we can positively impact people's lives."
Lynch finished a Masters in Education at the University of Galway last year, and has since been working as a recruitment consultant with Unijobs in Limerick.
"I'm grateful for it, happy out there. It's a great place to work," he says.
"I'll definitely do [teaching] in the future. I just have it on hold at the minute. We'll see what the future may bring. As Garth Brooks says, 'If tomorrow never comes'."
See Also: Can You Get 15/15 In Our Quiz Of The 2023 Hurling Championship?
