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New Coach, Same Ambition For Tullamore

Thursday, 16 February 2012

John Burns, Vinnie Wyer and John Moylan, coaches. TT078502

When Andy Melville departed for his homeland of New Zealand after the Towns Cup Final defeat last year, Tullamore faced a decision they hadn't had to make in years - find a new coach.
While change can be good, it can also take time for new ideas and ways of thinking to filter through. They needed a strong man and a players man. They headed South to Nenagh and got their man.
John Moylan played at first team level for the Nenagh men and has been the Nenagh senior side forwards coach for the last number of years. He has John Burns as backs coach. John has successfully coached the Leinster Junior rugby side to inter-provincial success a few seasons ago and he is also the coach of County Carlow.
Moylan is a guy who gets straight to the point and is clear in his ways. He doesn't want to hear about past failings or near misses. We are on his time now and his first final with Tullamore is on Saturday.
"We're definitely not going to dwell on anything that happened in the last three finals. This is a new. This is a new coach. We have a new set of players. We're a lot fitter. We're playing different rugby. I'm not even going to go down that road of what happened in the past. The past is in the past. We're looking forward. We're taking it one game at a time. We're fierce determined. We're fit, it's a strong squad and there'll be no excuses come the final".The players have responded well to the change in set up and a fresh helping of new and young players has added to their no fear attitude. The experience is still there especially through the likes of Dave Hanlon and Adrian Hanley and John Moylan believes that all the ingredients are there.
"There's leaders there, there's older guys there and they're showing leadership all year, leadership even out in training this week. There was a huge build up for the semi-final and the older players really took training the Tuesday and Thursday night before that game. They led from the front and showed their experience and that brings on the younger guys.
"We've some great young players the likes of Paul McNiff. There's some great young talent coming through the club. We're trying to develop them. We're all in it together and the game we're trying to play is just to encourage them to play heads up rugby and go through our phases but when the chances are there we want to move it. It's all about them enjoying themselves and training has been good because there have been good numbers. There's no point in lads being at it unless they are enjoying it. I think that's what we have here".
Moylan is all to aware of the pressures a final can bring and both the Nenagh man and his backroom team will look to keep things as normal as possible in the lead up to the cup decider in Athlone on Saturday.
"We don't want to get the players over hyped. We just want to keep it nice and cool and nice and calm. We're going to stick to our same routine that we have all the time. There's going to be no difference with training. It's going to be intense but coming into the game we'll have the same build up we always have and just treat it as an ordinary game.
"There's great competition for places so that's going to keep them on their toes. We had a hard job to pick our team last week. We had a lot of injuries but they're all back so our squad is strong at the moment. There's seven guys fighting to get on to the team and there's a few guys after losing out as well so it's healthy competition and that's what keeping lads on their toes".
Travelling up and down from Nenagh takes its toll especially during the winter but Moylan has been impressed by the commitment of both the players and the committee in Tullamore. Lads travel home from College and the likes for training while the committee are on hand to help with his every need. The travelling doesn't seem as tough when things are done right.
"All round in the club there's a good foundation. There's a super committee. Since I arrived I've been very impressed by the organisation of the club. I've an excellent manager in Tom Moloney and assistant manager Noel Browne. There's a great buzz. The players are getting fed here after training and that brings great spirit. On Tuesday night we had 23 lads some who travelled between Galway, Dublin and Limerick. It's great. The parents of the players are cooking for them different nights. It all adds to the spirit and that's why we're being successful I think.
"It's been great so far. It is my first year and it took me a while to bed. First few games didn't go to plan but it takes a while to get to know players and for players to get to know the way I want to play. We've changed a few things from the way they used to play. I think they're a lot fitter and I think we have a better squad all round. We have a stronger squad than other years so hopefully we'll be able to push on. Once the lads got used to me I think we found our feet and it's been going good since".
Moylan has not been happy with the criticism throwing at their back line and opinions that Tullamore play better in the wintery conditions so they can keep the ball up front.
"Every coach likes a dry day. People have a notion that we play 10 man rugby but let people think what they like because we have a great back line there as well. Whatever the conditions are - we don't mind. We have both styles of play.
"We are hoping for a fine day. Their is a myth about us that we are all about our forwards but if anyone has seen us lately they would have seen our tries and especially the handling for our three tries last Saturday week was superb in the conditions. Anyone that think we can't move the ball is codding themselves.
"We adapt to any weather conditions. In this league you are playing winter and spring and meeting all sorts of weather and if you have only one style of play; well then you're goosed. You have to take it week by week and the next Saturday can be totally different to the previous Saturday.
"We have a lot of speed in our back three, two very strong centres and an excellent nine and 10 and that's backed up by our very strong pack.
He endured a difficult start to the year and had key players unavailable for key games early on in the league. They have roared back into league contention since but those first few games really dented there title hopes.
"There was a few all right. Aaron Deverall our out-half got injured in the first league game early on. He's our main guy, he runs the show. He was a big loss to us in the first few games with a shoulder injury. It took a while to bed in with the new ideas and the new ways we were playing. The 10 is crucial to the whole thing. Whoever filled in for Aaron went okay but when he came back it was a big boost.
"Adrian Hanley came back late and he's having a superb season. We got a few guys from the West Offaly Lions too and it took them a while to bed in but now it's getting better and better every game. We were all new at the start. It was a new squad but once we bedded in we found our feet and improved every game from then on in".
Monivea will bring their own game to the table but expect the Tullamore backroom unit to have their homework done on the Connacht men. He has identified some key players and draws on some personal experience also.
"We have been doing our groundwork on them and have a lot of research done. I would know a good few of the players from previous years and I have experienced them myself playing against them in the round robin in 2005. Their strengths are all over. They have a strong pack and a good back line. A very strong centre and a good ball carrying number eight. We have our homework done but we will be focusing more on our own game.
"One big concern from the semi final was our penalty count especially in the second half. It was way too high when we weren't really under pressure. It gave Westport a chance to get back into the game. If they had scored a try early in the second half it could have been a different game altogether. They crowd were really behind them and they played with great spirit. We have definitely to step up on our discipline. We got two yellow cards and if we get them in the final we won't win it".
A lot of Tullamore's play is based on their fact but then again it is a serious platform to build from. Some of the basics of the game can often be the most crucial as the Nenagh man explains.
"I always look for a physical game up front. Lineouts and scrums are crucial. We do an awful lot of work on our scrums and lineouts and our maul is going very well. They are the basics and unless you have them right you are not going to win anything.

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