Limerick senior hurlers were ‘born winners’ says Eamonn Cregan

EAMONN Cregan stands as one of the most iconic figures in the history of Limerick hurling. Cregan's career began in the 1960s and reached its peak in 1973, when he played a pivotal role in leading Limerick to a famous All-Ireland final victory over Kilkenny.

Cregan was renowned for his versatility, intelligence, and natural flair on the pitch. Since 2018, Limerick have won five All-Ireland titles as well as a record-breaking six Munster championship titles in a row.

This is something that Cregan could never imagine would happen. Big matchdays now involve Cregan listening to the radio or trying to find something to distract himself when Limerick are playing.

He finds himself getting too excited and Cregan won't watch the game back until he knows the result.

“As a lot of people know, I don't watch matches any more because I've been involved with them from U14's upwards. I know the bulk of them pretty well,” said Eamonn Cregan.

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“I was in France last year, they all went down to the pub to watch it. I didn't go, I get too excited and I start roaring and shouting. I've been involved for so long with the players, they are a great bunch.

“The funny thing when we grew up we disliked our opposition even in club matches, you just didn't speak afterwards. These fellas go out together.”

In 2011, former Limerick hurler Shane Fitzgibbon changed the system of underage hurling in Limerick alongside Cregan, Ger Hegarty, Pat Hartigan and Mark Keane.

“Shane had this idea and he approached Bord na nÓg and they accepted what he was trying to do. He was trying to improve the underage so at some stage we would get a crowd together coming up along the road. He got a pile of inter-county players involved and we came in and we gave a hand out.

“That's where this started with all these young lads coming through the system. Now we never expected at any stage that we would suddenly win five All-Irelands”,added Cregan.

In 2016, Eamonn Cregan guided Mary Immaculate College to their first ever Fitzgibbon Cup title. Richie English, Cian Lynch, Declan Hannon, David Reidy and Darragh O'Donovan were all part of the Mary I side. Meanwhile, Tom Morrissey, Mike Casey and Gearoid Hegarty were part of the UL side that lost to Mary I in the final.

“We were also lucky that we had another group of players like Cian Lynch, Declan Hannon and Sean Finn all of those players came at the same time. Mary I played UL in the Fitzgibbon cup final in 2016 and between the two teams, there were at least nine Limerick inter-county players. To me that's how you build your teams, primary school, Harty Cup, you go and play Fitzgibbon Cup if you can make the team and then you go senior so you've steps of stairs the whole way. They were born winners you wouldn't think it at the time, but they were”

The Claughaun clubman still has fond memories of Limerick's All-Ireland final win of 2018.

“I'll give you a small example of how much it meant to Eamonn Rea when the match was over in 2018. And when the crowd has gone home Eamonn was still sitting above in the Cusack Stand. He sat there for two and half hours just absorbing the atmosphere of winning. We were in the desert for 45 years, we got to finals and lost them, but the hunger for a win in Limerick at the time was unbelievable.”

Cregan sees the 2025 season as the most peculiar year for John Kiely's side.

“This is going to be the most peculiar year for them. They needed to blood some of the young lads throughout the league, a few of them have came through. That's the only way they'll get them to improve their experience.”

The former Limerick manager sees the loss of Nickie Quaid as a major blow to Limerick.

“The fact that Nickie isn't available is a big drawback. When we were playing it was a different ball game you got one match and if you won you went on and if you lost you were gone. This is a better system.

“They're after five All-Irelands, they have had a long lay-off now and if they have it in their mind to win, the possibility is always there, it's going to be tough.”

Cork are Cregan's favourites to win the Liam MacCarthy but he still expects that Limerick will have a big part to play.