WHEN DAN SHANAHAN got the word to draw him back into the inter-county senior game, he faced a dilemma.
New Waterford boss Peter Queally was assembling his new management team and wanted Shanahan to return to a role he has filled alongside Derek McGrath until they departed in the summer of 2018.
Taking on this position meant Shanahan need to cut a link.
“I was with Ken McGrath in the U20s. What a man, I really enjoyed the setup last year with Ken.
“Peter came to me (and) the hardest phone call I had to make was to Ken McGrath. He understood straight away. What a man. He understood – ‘Dan, I know where you’re coming from, you’re with the elite player in Waterford and to train the elite.’
“The one thing for me, the common denominator, we’re all good Waterford people for one aim. We’re all trying to improve Waterford hurling, whether it’s James O’Connor with the minors, Ken McGrath with the twenties, Peter Queally with the seniors. We’re all here for the one goal is to improve Waterford hurling.”
Shanahan is pleased that a local is at the helm of the prime job in Waterford hurling. He has huge respect for what Davy Fitzgerald and Liam Cahill have done, he is keen to stress his view is not a dig at either, but a homegrown influence was something he felt was required.
“I think it’s a big thing when a Waterford man is in charge of a Waterford team. It’s very important.
“You see it in Cork, Pat Ryan in Cork, Brian Lohan’s in Clare, Liam Cahill’s in Tipp, the Dublin manager, Niall Ó Ceallacháin, again he’s from Dublin, Micheál Donoghue is gone back to Galway, Keith Rossiter is in Wexford, Derek Lyng’s in Kilkenny. All their own men in charge. I think that’s massive that we got a Waterford man in charge.
“For me, a Waterford man in charge of a Waterford team, it gets more people out supporting the team, first of all, that maybe haven’t been supporting the team. It is our job to get the people supporting our team, as well, playing proper, fast hurling, with proper tactical plans and whatever we come up with. Just to get the enjoyment back in the Waterford lads.”
Renewing the connection with supporters is key. Waterford’s form has faltered in recent times as they have struggled to embrace and emerge from the Munster round-robin format.
“Results don’t lie. We haven’t come out of the Munster round-robin in a number of years when Liam or Davy was there. That hurts me.
“Great win against Cork this year below in Walsh Park, but it is no good winning [on one-off occasions], it is a moral victory, clapped on the back, next thing we don’t come out of the group.”
Maintaining the improvement in their home record is a core aim. This year saw signs of promise with the victory over Cork and draw with Tipperary, albeit they coughed up a winning position there.
They take on Clare next April before entertaining Limerick a week later.
“Our first goal is the Clare game at home [in Munster]. The All-Ireland champions are coming to Walsh Park, it should be hopping. A fortress. The doors should be shut down the minute they come on the bus. Make it as hard as possible for them.
“I am looking forward to the challenge. It is going to be a massive challenge. I could have sat down at home, relaxed for the year without doing this, and sat in the local criticising. No, I took it on the chin.
“A lot of people have their opinions. If we play poorly, you have to take the criticism. If we play well, you have to take the claps on the back. I have done it as a player. I have done it as a coach with Derek. Please God I am going to do it as a coach with Peter.”
Before the main inter-county business commences for Waterford, they begin 2025 with a game of major significance.
Waterford play Cork on Saturday 4 January in the Fraher Field in Dungarvan as a fundraiser for 2002 Deise Munster winner Brian Greene, who has been treated for lung cancer since his diagnosis in April 2022.
“Had the honour of playing, togging out with him,” recalls Shanahan.
“I went in, in ’96 I started, so would have known Brian fairly well. I played number ten, he played number seven, so we were always on each other and Greener had some aggression, some player, some speed. What a man, what a great club man.
“It is tough news. But it has touched every family, there’s not a family here that hasn’t been hit by some relation to cancer or something like that. I think the GAA is unbelievable like that. I think the support it does for people is phenomenal, long may it last. We’d do the same thing if there was a lad in Cork in the same boat.
“The 4th of January is a great time, because there’s nothing on. People have nothing to do, so please God the weather would be good. It’s in Fraher Field which I think is beneficial for, for the East Cork people, West Waterford people, and even now for Brian Greene, East Waterford will come to Fraher Field to support him.”
Legend! Hope they can turn things around for them.