Conroy banking on Lahardane's unique spirit coming up trumps
By Caoimhín Rowland
Lahardane MacHales manager Eddie Conroy knows that facing Listowel Emmets in today's (Saturday) All-Ireland JFC semi-final at 1 p.m. in Glenisk O'Connor Park, Tullamore, is a special occasion worth savouring.
The Charlestown native has been welcomed with open arms by his adopted club and everything has clicked into place so far.
Looking forward to the big match, which has captured the imagination of Mayo GAA, he said: “I feel lucky that they bought into me and I bought into them.”
The style of play of club football in Mayo has recently received plenty of negative headlines, but Lahardane MacHales’ game deployed by Conroy is one of instinct and free-flowing attacking.
At times it can leave you speechless and during other times it’s possibly naïve.
“But it’s a style that suits Lahardane, it works for the players, there’s no huge tactics and they just go out, commit and enjoy their football. It’s an enjoyable style of football we play,” Conroy explained.
Lahardane’s strength in depth has also been a talking point.
Conroy feels fortunate to have selection headaches and regularly uses the full complement of five subs each game, a rarity in junior football.
“The lads have stood up again this week while training. Adam Garrett and Mickey Murphy have impressed and we’re in a good place, which gives lads confidence going to next year at intermediate.”
Barry Leonard, injured in the Connaught final, remains the sole doubt going into the semi-final.
The experienced former Mayo junior player has faced Kerry opposition in the past, but Conroy hopes it will be good news a week out from the semi-final and he will be given the green light.
Regardless, he knows there are options there and a panel of 30 lads who are 'chomping at the bit' to be involved.
Conroy refuses to be drawn into discussing Listowel. There aren’t buzzwords of controlling the controllables from the former Mayo masters captain.
It’s the community in Lahardane he prefers to speak about.
“It’s a special village here, what we managed to do over the Christmas, it meant a lot and put a smile on a lot of people’s faces.”
Conroy, referring to the St. Stephen’s Day charity match for the oncology department in Galway University Hospital, praised the club and its supporters for raising over €2,000 for the cause and Conroy beams discussing it.
“The spirit here is like nothing I’ve ever seen.”
A backroom team of Enda Langan, Brian Mangan and physio Paul Dorrian are all vital in ensuring the Mayo junior champions are rearing to go on Saturday.
Listowel are the favourites, packed with more household names, and former Cork inter-county star JJ Grimes at midfield, not to mention the O’Sé factor.
Whatever happens, Conroy knows there is a conveyor belt of talent emerging at the butt of Nephin and intermediate football won’t feel so foreign for the club next year.