Coolderry's long and winding road to Croke Park
Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 11:23 pm
I
Dateline 15th September 2001. Four days after the New York towers are brought crashing down, and it’s County semi-final day in Birr. St Rynaghs’ win over Tullamore is a formality, but unexpectedly the second semi-final is a thriller. A young Coolderry team lead Birr by four points with as many minutes to go, but Birr keep their composure and score four quick points to send the semi-final to a replay.
A young Coolderry? Brian Carroll and goalkeeper Shane O’Connor were still Minor, Brendan O’Meara, centre half-back Joe Brady and midfielders Andrew Hall and Barry Teehan were a year out of Minor, with Damien Murray and Paddy Teehan a year older. Although Birr relentlessly crush Coolderry in the replay, Coolderry’s future seems glowing. Damien Murray had already won an Irish Independent Sports Star of the week for an amazing freetaking display on his League debut for Offaly against Galway in Birr (Murray scored 14 points that day, including 12 from frees). Coolderry were winning all around them at Minor and U21 and backboned the Offaly Minor side who won the Leinster title in 2000. That they could put it up to Birr at that stage of their development, Coolderry seemed Birr’s natural successors. A club All-Ireland within the decade was not impossible.
Hard to know, then, where it all went wrong for them. Probably not in 2002 when a seasoned Kilcormac-Killoughey beat them in the semi-final, though there were murmurings when abysmal Offaly U21s were easily dismantled by Dublin in Portlaoise earlier that summer. But certainly by the next autumn the Cool dudes had lost their sheen, ambushed by Kinnitty in the quarter-final in Rath. And Kinnitty won the row that came late in the game too. Meanwhile, Birr had gone from strength to strength, winning back-to-back All-Ireland club titles and going unbeaten for 36 months.
Coolderry’s day finally came in 2004, ending Birr’s six-in-a-row attempt in a cracking Final. Now managed by Joe Tynan, a dozen of the starting 15 were under 23, though there were caveats – Rory Hanniffy out through injury, veteran Pat O’Connor coming off the bench to guide the way, and a year later Birr, now managed by John Goode, exacted revenge in ruthless fashion, winning 0-20 to 0-5. By then, Pat O’Connor and Seamus Tooher had retired, Eoin Kennedy had been replaced in goal by Shane O’Connor, and the entire Coolderry team was under 24. Incidentally, eleven of that 2005 team will line out in Croke Park on Saturday. Second chances DO come to those who work for them.
On to 2006, and the sides met in the Final again. Coolderry led most of the way but couldn’t close it out and Gary Hanniffy pointed a late equaliser. The replay the following Saturday was another thriller. Coolderry led by four points and again seemed set for the win, but Gary Hanniffy scored a goal to give Birr hope and with the sides level, Paul O’Meara’s point broke Coolderry hearts. Murray might have snatched it with the last puck, racing in along the end-line, his blistering drive flew wide.
2007, ’08 and ’09 were Coolderry’s lost years. Birr beat them in the semi-final in 2007, Kinnitty did likewise in 2008, and early goals saw K/K beat Coolderry in a high-scoring 2009 semi-final, the day after Tullamore dethroned Birr.
II
Easy, then, to see what, or rather, who brought this new maturity to Coolderry’s hurling.
Ken Hogan.
It took some time though, and playing Martin Corcoran at centre half-back, as they did in 2009, was an experiment bound to end in disaster. But a steadier line-out, quickfire goalscoring starts and Tullamore again eliminating Birr brought about a County title. Evidence of a soft centre remained as Raharney ended their Club Championship hopes, that after a hectic celebration schedule that took in Birr, Dublin and Cork.
The story goes that some wag once remarked that Coolderry wouldn’t reach Croke Park until the Black Bull was closed. The landmark pub on the road between Birr and Roscrea is where each of Coolderry’s 29 county title wins have been celebrated. Sadly, the Black Bull has gone the same way as so many of Ireland’s rural hostelries, and Coolderry’s Leinster title win last November was the venue’s last celebration before it closed its doors for the final time prior to Christmas.
Birr was the obstacle that refused to go away. Yet, overcoming the Birr challenge marked a new-found maturity in those unbelievable final moments. Like when Murray fluffed that free, Birr went in search of the equaliser, Brady won back possession, cleared and Connolly stuck it.
Yet it is the players who have delivered. The players trust in Hogan is paramount, but equally crucial is Hogan’s trust in the players. Look at his mannerism on the sideline. There is no bucklepping in the style of other attention-seeking managers. Item: the arm around Kevin Connolly for a minute as Kevin waited for a break in play before taking the field against Oulart. Sometimes a whisper echoes further than a scream.
Hogan has also brought something seldom seen before – an Offaly gameplan that involves thoughtful use of the ball, as opposed to merely lashing the ball away for the sake of gaining ground. They also show a remarkable calmness under pressure. Item: no-one got vexed with referee John Sexton though he repeatedly and incorrectly pinged Coolderry throughout the semi-final win over Gort.
Coolderry have modified their gameplan as the year has evolved. For instance, they used the tri-angular full-forward line in the Offaly quarter-final and semi-final wins with Parlon & Murray close to goal and Eoin Ryan further outfield. In the County Final it was Ryan & Murray close to goal, with Parlon travelling. By the time of the Leinster Final, the triangular full-forward line had been dispensed with, using a ‘flat’ full forward line. Barry Teehan has gone from chief-creator-of-space to chief-collector-of-breaking-ball. Joe Brady held the centre when his man roamed in the Leinster final, yet when the same happened against Gort, Brady followed. Joe was dominant in both matches.
This ‘horses for courses’ thinking is a big help to countering the dreaded complacency. Now, ‘hurling the same as they did the last day’ is not an issue, and each match is treated as - new day, new challenge, new response. This is particularly necessary when Coolderry are starting the same 15 as they have in the last six matches, dating back to the quarter-final win over Seir Kieran in September. So much so that Kevin Connolly, an Offaly panellist last year and now recovered from injury, is unable to claim a starting place. Yet Connolly’s explosive contributions off the bench have helped push Coolderry over the line, particularly against Birr and Oulart.
New features have been added as they progress. Martin Corcoran’s distribution was a feature of their semi-final win, as was the use of the cross-field ball when in trouble. On this evidence, they will add something new for the Final.
III
If Coolderry have had a long and winding road to Croke Park, so too have Loughgiel, as they were defeated in a sextet of Antrim County finals between 2003 and 2008. They finally won the Volunteer cup in 2010, and made it two-in-a-row last year. hey were forced to come from behind in their County final win over Cushendall. Four points behind with ten minutes to go, Liam Watson pointed a monster free, scored a goal from a penalty to level it, and then Barney McAuley, Joey Scullion and James Campbell all pointed for a 3-points win.
Coolderry have yet to forced to rescue a game coming from behind. Then again, so were Offaly in 1994.
Liam Watson will command much media interest in the build-up, and with good reason. From the full-forward berth, Watson roams outfield to gather and score. He also showed superb vision, particularly when picking out Laverty for a second half point in the semi-final win over Na Piarsaigh. Watson claimed in a Sunday Times interview with Christy O’Connor that he has sorted his temperament issues. Maybe he has, but the full-forward was in the thick of a number of odd incidents in last month’s semi-final. Watson’s duel with Trevor Corcoran will be very very interesting.
But there is much more to the men from the Narrow Lake than Watson. Most have hurled for Antrim at Senior level. Left half-forward (or left three-quarters, as they say in North Antrim) Eddie McCloskey is one of hurling’s finest stylists. Left corner-forward Shay Casey too is a stylist while they hit Brendan McCarry with alot of clearances to the right corner.
Outfield, the Antrim men play quick ball. They tend to over-do the ground hurling though. Centre half-back Scullion is strong though his tendancy is to bat the ball rather than take control of it. Midfielder Barney McAuley set the tone against Na Piarsaigh with a few early blocks. Left half-back Johnny Campbell is the heartbeat of the team. His clash with Brian Carroll could well decide the destination of the title.
Loughgiel have been the last remaining winners of the All-Ireland Club title left in the competition for some time now. Though almost thirty years ago now, the belief that brings the Northerners will be priceless. The weight of never having won the title is a heavy one. Ask Dunloy.
IV
In March 1986 Coolderry mourned the passing of 31 year-old Pat Carroll following a long illness. Pat had a saying “I can and I will” which typified his leadership and his never-say-die attitude. I can and I will is the title of the excellent book produced in tribute to Pat Carroll on the occasion of the opening of the Pat Carroll Memorial Library to commemorate the 25th anniversary of his untimely passing last year.
On March 17th, the day after Pat Carroll’s anniversary, Coolderry head to Croke Park to contest the most coveted prize in Club Hurling
V
Loughgiel’s road to Croke Park has been a rough one, what with those six County Final losses. But Coolderry’s has been longer, arguably stretching back beyond that September Saturday in 2001, probably back to 1996 when their U14s broke new ground winning their first County title in the grade. There have been triumphs along the way, but these have always been followed acute disappointments. Until now. With a manager they trust completely, galvanised by previous disappointments and matured with every match, Coolderry head to Croke Park with business to do.
They can and they will.
Dateline 15th September 2001. Four days after the New York towers are brought crashing down, and it’s County semi-final day in Birr. St Rynaghs’ win over Tullamore is a formality, but unexpectedly the second semi-final is a thriller. A young Coolderry team lead Birr by four points with as many minutes to go, but Birr keep their composure and score four quick points to send the semi-final to a replay.
A young Coolderry? Brian Carroll and goalkeeper Shane O’Connor were still Minor, Brendan O’Meara, centre half-back Joe Brady and midfielders Andrew Hall and Barry Teehan were a year out of Minor, with Damien Murray and Paddy Teehan a year older. Although Birr relentlessly crush Coolderry in the replay, Coolderry’s future seems glowing. Damien Murray had already won an Irish Independent Sports Star of the week for an amazing freetaking display on his League debut for Offaly against Galway in Birr (Murray scored 14 points that day, including 12 from frees). Coolderry were winning all around them at Minor and U21 and backboned the Offaly Minor side who won the Leinster title in 2000. That they could put it up to Birr at that stage of their development, Coolderry seemed Birr’s natural successors. A club All-Ireland within the decade was not impossible.
Hard to know, then, where it all went wrong for them. Probably not in 2002 when a seasoned Kilcormac-Killoughey beat them in the semi-final, though there were murmurings when abysmal Offaly U21s were easily dismantled by Dublin in Portlaoise earlier that summer. But certainly by the next autumn the Cool dudes had lost their sheen, ambushed by Kinnitty in the quarter-final in Rath. And Kinnitty won the row that came late in the game too. Meanwhile, Birr had gone from strength to strength, winning back-to-back All-Ireland club titles and going unbeaten for 36 months.
Coolderry’s day finally came in 2004, ending Birr’s six-in-a-row attempt in a cracking Final. Now managed by Joe Tynan, a dozen of the starting 15 were under 23, though there were caveats – Rory Hanniffy out through injury, veteran Pat O’Connor coming off the bench to guide the way, and a year later Birr, now managed by John Goode, exacted revenge in ruthless fashion, winning 0-20 to 0-5. By then, Pat O’Connor and Seamus Tooher had retired, Eoin Kennedy had been replaced in goal by Shane O’Connor, and the entire Coolderry team was under 24. Incidentally, eleven of that 2005 team will line out in Croke Park on Saturday. Second chances DO come to those who work for them.
On to 2006, and the sides met in the Final again. Coolderry led most of the way but couldn’t close it out and Gary Hanniffy pointed a late equaliser. The replay the following Saturday was another thriller. Coolderry led by four points and again seemed set for the win, but Gary Hanniffy scored a goal to give Birr hope and with the sides level, Paul O’Meara’s point broke Coolderry hearts. Murray might have snatched it with the last puck, racing in along the end-line, his blistering drive flew wide.
2007, ’08 and ’09 were Coolderry’s lost years. Birr beat them in the semi-final in 2007, Kinnitty did likewise in 2008, and early goals saw K/K beat Coolderry in a high-scoring 2009 semi-final, the day after Tullamore dethroned Birr.
II
Easy, then, to see what, or rather, who brought this new maturity to Coolderry’s hurling.
Ken Hogan.
It took some time though, and playing Martin Corcoran at centre half-back, as they did in 2009, was an experiment bound to end in disaster. But a steadier line-out, quickfire goalscoring starts and Tullamore again eliminating Birr brought about a County title. Evidence of a soft centre remained as Raharney ended their Club Championship hopes, that after a hectic celebration schedule that took in Birr, Dublin and Cork.
The story goes that some wag once remarked that Coolderry wouldn’t reach Croke Park until the Black Bull was closed. The landmark pub on the road between Birr and Roscrea is where each of Coolderry’s 29 county title wins have been celebrated. Sadly, the Black Bull has gone the same way as so many of Ireland’s rural hostelries, and Coolderry’s Leinster title win last November was the venue’s last celebration before it closed its doors for the final time prior to Christmas.
Birr was the obstacle that refused to go away. Yet, overcoming the Birr challenge marked a new-found maturity in those unbelievable final moments. Like when Murray fluffed that free, Birr went in search of the equaliser, Brady won back possession, cleared and Connolly stuck it.
Yet it is the players who have delivered. The players trust in Hogan is paramount, but equally crucial is Hogan’s trust in the players. Look at his mannerism on the sideline. There is no bucklepping in the style of other attention-seeking managers. Item: the arm around Kevin Connolly for a minute as Kevin waited for a break in play before taking the field against Oulart. Sometimes a whisper echoes further than a scream.
Hogan has also brought something seldom seen before – an Offaly gameplan that involves thoughtful use of the ball, as opposed to merely lashing the ball away for the sake of gaining ground. They also show a remarkable calmness under pressure. Item: no-one got vexed with referee John Sexton though he repeatedly and incorrectly pinged Coolderry throughout the semi-final win over Gort.
Coolderry have modified their gameplan as the year has evolved. For instance, they used the tri-angular full-forward line in the Offaly quarter-final and semi-final wins with Parlon & Murray close to goal and Eoin Ryan further outfield. In the County Final it was Ryan & Murray close to goal, with Parlon travelling. By the time of the Leinster Final, the triangular full-forward line had been dispensed with, using a ‘flat’ full forward line. Barry Teehan has gone from chief-creator-of-space to chief-collector-of-breaking-ball. Joe Brady held the centre when his man roamed in the Leinster final, yet when the same happened against Gort, Brady followed. Joe was dominant in both matches.
This ‘horses for courses’ thinking is a big help to countering the dreaded complacency. Now, ‘hurling the same as they did the last day’ is not an issue, and each match is treated as - new day, new challenge, new response. This is particularly necessary when Coolderry are starting the same 15 as they have in the last six matches, dating back to the quarter-final win over Seir Kieran in September. So much so that Kevin Connolly, an Offaly panellist last year and now recovered from injury, is unable to claim a starting place. Yet Connolly’s explosive contributions off the bench have helped push Coolderry over the line, particularly against Birr and Oulart.
New features have been added as they progress. Martin Corcoran’s distribution was a feature of their semi-final win, as was the use of the cross-field ball when in trouble. On this evidence, they will add something new for the Final.
III
If Coolderry have had a long and winding road to Croke Park, so too have Loughgiel, as they were defeated in a sextet of Antrim County finals between 2003 and 2008. They finally won the Volunteer cup in 2010, and made it two-in-a-row last year. hey were forced to come from behind in their County final win over Cushendall. Four points behind with ten minutes to go, Liam Watson pointed a monster free, scored a goal from a penalty to level it, and then Barney McAuley, Joey Scullion and James Campbell all pointed for a 3-points win.
Coolderry have yet to forced to rescue a game coming from behind. Then again, so were Offaly in 1994.
Liam Watson will command much media interest in the build-up, and with good reason. From the full-forward berth, Watson roams outfield to gather and score. He also showed superb vision, particularly when picking out Laverty for a second half point in the semi-final win over Na Piarsaigh. Watson claimed in a Sunday Times interview with Christy O’Connor that he has sorted his temperament issues. Maybe he has, but the full-forward was in the thick of a number of odd incidents in last month’s semi-final. Watson’s duel with Trevor Corcoran will be very very interesting.
But there is much more to the men from the Narrow Lake than Watson. Most have hurled for Antrim at Senior level. Left half-forward (or left three-quarters, as they say in North Antrim) Eddie McCloskey is one of hurling’s finest stylists. Left corner-forward Shay Casey too is a stylist while they hit Brendan McCarry with alot of clearances to the right corner.
Outfield, the Antrim men play quick ball. They tend to over-do the ground hurling though. Centre half-back Scullion is strong though his tendancy is to bat the ball rather than take control of it. Midfielder Barney McAuley set the tone against Na Piarsaigh with a few early blocks. Left half-back Johnny Campbell is the heartbeat of the team. His clash with Brian Carroll could well decide the destination of the title.
Loughgiel have been the last remaining winners of the All-Ireland Club title left in the competition for some time now. Though almost thirty years ago now, the belief that brings the Northerners will be priceless. The weight of never having won the title is a heavy one. Ask Dunloy.
IV
In March 1986 Coolderry mourned the passing of 31 year-old Pat Carroll following a long illness. Pat had a saying “I can and I will” which typified his leadership and his never-say-die attitude. I can and I will is the title of the excellent book produced in tribute to Pat Carroll on the occasion of the opening of the Pat Carroll Memorial Library to commemorate the 25th anniversary of his untimely passing last year.
On March 17th, the day after Pat Carroll’s anniversary, Coolderry head to Croke Park to contest the most coveted prize in Club Hurling
V
Loughgiel’s road to Croke Park has been a rough one, what with those six County Final losses. But Coolderry’s has been longer, arguably stretching back beyond that September Saturday in 2001, probably back to 1996 when their U14s broke new ground winning their first County title in the grade. There have been triumphs along the way, but these have always been followed acute disappointments. Until now. With a manager they trust completely, galvanised by previous disappointments and matured with every match, Coolderry head to Croke Park with business to do.
They can and they will.
