Kevlihan: Getting Our Performance Right

The young men of the Dublin Minor Football team are two days away from an All-Ireland MFC Semi-Final. Last week, DubZone we caught up with Dublin Minor Football Manager, Cyril Kevlihan, to talk about the privilege and responsibility of managing a Minor Dublin team. 

Your team is going very well this year, you must be happy with how things are shaping up?

Absolutely, they’re a great bunch of lads. It’s difficult at that age group when you have to combine the Leaving Cert and the CAO and everything that comes with it, but half have done that and we’re very proud of them. We have always said it’s possible to work hard at both, and both are achievable with an ambitious bunch of lads who want to be successful in life as well as on the pitch. 

You have managed Minor teams before, what’s different about this group of young men?

It’s hard to compare. In 1999 I took my first group and I’ve always seen it as a privilege to work with the best coaches and players in the county. And it’s also a responsibility to do my best by them. There are so many great club teams in Dublin… we’ve always been there, there-abouts in quality so part of it is making sure you give everyone an opportunity to play for Dublin. It’s always so competitive.

And on the pitch, you’re a very clinical team with a real eye for goal. Is this something you have worked on? 

Well, we didn’t early on and that’s as much a testament to our opposition and how the fixtures worked out. That was a very strong Longford team and we just happened to meet them in the first round. The level of opposition will always have a factor in it but we have been taking our opportunities too. The lads have great ability and work hard on it, and have been doing so before we got them – that’s down to who they’ve worked with at school and at clubs as much as anything. 

Finally, what are your hopes and expectations for the Semi-Final against Donegal?

We just want to get our own performance right. In spite of wins and scorelines we are always evaluating to improve both individually and collectively to be better for every game. Donegal were tipped to be there early on so it’s important that we meet them head on. I am confident though that if our lads perform to their potential, the result will look after itself