Promotion the goal for Cronin at St Mary’s
By Daire Walsh
FORMER Ireland international Sean Cronin insists promotion is the ultimate goal as he takes his first steps into life as a head coach with St Mary’s College in Division 1B of the All-Ireland League.
In a memorable 17-year stint in the professional game, Cronin accumulated an astonishing 270 provincial appearances across spells at Munster, Connacht and Leinster.
He also picked up 72 senior caps in the green of Ireland, winning three Six Nations Championships and a Grand Slam in 2018.
He also amassed eight pieces of silverware with his adopted province of Leinster and the Limerick native will unsurprisingly be looking to bring a winning mentality into his new role at the Templeogue-based side.
“For me, promotion is the ultimate goal,” insisted Cronin. “I think a club like St Mary’s, with such a rich tradition in the All-Ireland League, needs to be back playing in 1A. That’s the aim.
“I want to be ambitious, I want to be successful and I hope the playing group will be like that as well,” Cronin explained in a recent interview with the club’s social media team.
However, Cronin knows better than most that this is easier said than done.
While working his way through a final season as a professional rugby player in 2021/22, he was simultaneously operating as an assistant coach to his predecessor Steve Hennessy at St Mary’s.
Despite some good results along the way, the Templeville Road outfit missed out on a spot in the promotion play-off series.
Competition is expected to be fierce once again with UCC and Buccaneers both added to the mix for the forthcoming campaign.
St Mary’s also have an opening game against fellow south Dubliners Old Belvedere at Ollie Campbell Park on October 1 and Cronin is under no illusion as to what will await them throughout the season.
“Two very strong teams. One coming down and coming up in Buccaneers and UCC. The interesting thing about 1B is that it’s so competitive. Any team on their day can beat any other team,” stressed Cronin.
“We saw that last year with the two teams that finished third and fourth. Made it to the play-offs and then Shannon [Cronin’s former club] obviously went up, who finished third. It’s a really competitive league.
“We’ll take the first game out against Old Belvedere as it comes and we’ll go from there. I’m really looking forward to getting stuck in here at the club as the head coach and seeing the guys progress.”