Cian Lynch reflects on his new perspective for Limerick hurling after Covid-19 lockdown

CIAN Lynch made his Limerick senior hurling championship debut in a 2015 Munster SHC win over Clare.

It’s been a hectic last six years for the 2018 Hurler of the Year in the green and white of Limerick.

So much so, that the Covid-19 enforced lockdown since Limerick’s last game on March 7 was his longest spell away from inter-county colleagues.

Those months away were spent in Patrickswell.

This past week, Lynch’s native Patrickswell was a backdrop for the launch of Littlewoods Ireland’s new ‘Style Meets Substance’ campaign, as a sponsor of the All-Ireland SHC.

”I’m just grateful really,” said Lynch of the inter-county return.

“The last few months have been different for every household and the situations vary - for me personally I was just grateful to get back; even with the club. When that finished then it was great to get back in with Limerick. It’s a routine,” he told the Limerick Leader via an online interview.

“It is different but everyone is in the same boat," he said of training under Covid-10 guidelines.

"You can’t drive to training with the lads that you normally car pool with and you are not altogether in the dressing room. That’s just the little things that are there on a temporary basis. We just have to enjoy every moment we can when we get out onto the pitch training together because it put the whole thing in perspective during that initial lockdown. When nothing was happening you would realise how much you miss being involved with the team,” outlined Lynch, the 2020 Limerick vice-captain.

”Mentally as well, this is a massive way to release a bit of steam and hurl for ourselves as players and for supporters and your family. When you look at the Littlewoods campaign, ‘Style Meets Substance’ - it’s based on a passion for hurling and I know it’s about bringing people together and bringing joy. Supporters can’t go to these games but it’s about bringing a community together with some joy,” said Lynch.

“I’m just grateful and living in the moment. There is no point looking three months down the line and wondering what might happen - just be in the now and take what comes your way and make the most of it. It’s about perspective - you can very easily get consumed and caught up in what’s going on. That’s the reality of things - Covid-19 is the reality and every household is different and everyone’s last few months have gone differently - they have lost loved ones due to Covid-19 or different hardships.”

He added: “For us it’s about being mentally strong and supporting one another and being grateful that we can go training and have a laugh on the pitch, pucking ball over and back or whatever it might be”.

”It is difficult because every household is different and they might have kids or people that are vulnerable but me personally I am just grateful that I am able to get out in the evening and go training. For our mental side of things, it is huge,” he stressed.