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10th July 2019
03:34pm BST

“Looking after the McDonagh Cup final, in terms of the culture of enjoyment that's there, the lads were allowed out on Sunday night, they had a few pints on the Sunday night, they had a day out on the Monday, I think there was a story that they were in the Hawaiian shirts on the Monday, they had right craic... and then they were back in on the Tuesday, and the Wednesday. "And then, even pictures of them last Sunday (against Dublin), enjoying the moment. I remember when we'd beaten Kilkenny for the first time in the Championship for 58 years in 2017, we were playing two weeks later, we still went out and enjoyed the night as it was in front of us, if you like. And I think that's what Eddie has done, that's what the whole team and the whole environment seems to be based on, completely enjoying it… I think it's very hard to overestimate what a culture of going in there on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday absolutely enjoying the whole friendships, everything that's part and parcel of being part of a winning environment and an enjoyable environment.”This was backed up by Lar Corbett, no better man to talk about a winning culture;
“(After winning the McDonagh Cup) Eddie knew they were after doing something unbelievable, then they were after just beating Dublin which was unbelievable again. So, there's a way of harnessing that, and I was just listening to Eddie on the radio the other night and he went to the players and said 'look, we're gonna enjoy Sunday, but lads I'm putting it over to you as regards Monday.' "So the players then have a choice; do we want more of the same or will we just go out on the Sunday and go out on the Monday and just forget about it? So when you hand responsibility back over to the players, and they're within the group and say 'right lads, we'll enjoy a few beers here tonight, yeah sure we'll meet tomorrow and have a few. But that's it.' Because the responsibility is back over to the players and I think you get people to think different. When you give a panel, when you give players and when you give leaders responsibility, they'll figure out the answers themselves. "But I think when you put a total ban on things, you'll get 3 or 4 people to rebel against that, and they'll bring another 3 or 4 with them, and now you've nothing. So I think Eddie's after playing it very, very clever.”These may be a precursor to bigger things for Laois, or they may be halcyon days around O’Moore Park not to be repeated for a generation. Either way, it’s fantastic to see players enjoying their success as it happens. You can watch the full episode of Corbett and McGrath's Big Build-Up here, where the lads take a look ahead to the Quarter Finals this weekend, how Cork can rip up Kilkenny's defence and why Wexford goalkeepers are never alone on the field... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvgFUtru7Ps
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