HOW long has this Kilcoo team been on the road? It’s a dozen years since their first Ulster final, it’s five years since they won their first Ulster title and nearly three since their All-Ireland triumph.
In all that time, in all those games, have they produced a better performance than their 11-point rout of Scotstown in last month’s semi-final. You could argue that they have, but their movement, the pace, the levels of fitness and skill… Individually and collectively they defended well and broke with devastating pace and, after a few early wides, added ruthless finishing to a performance that was as good as any from the Magpies.
It was only a semi-final and you get nothing for winning them but the experienced Kilcoo boys don’t need reminded of that.
“Nobody remembers you for winning the semi-final,” says midfielder Aaron Morgan.
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“You don’t get any credit for winning the semi-final by X amount of points and then getting beaten the next day.
“The line is drawn in the sand. The only thing we have achieved is a place in the final, that’s it really.
“It was probably the best we’ve played in the championship this year but in the Down league we were performing well.
“It was a hard-hitting football game, proper Ulster championship - there were no easy frees given. When you saw one of the boys attacking you knew you had to be off their shoulder because they weren’t going to get an easy free.
“It was well refereed and that probably contributed to why it was such a good game - it was just attacking the whole time.”
Scotstown supporters travelled to the Athletic Grounds in confident mood for that semi-final but their man-on-man tactics didn’t pay off. Kilcoo broke through their resistance when Morgan’s shot was bundled over his line by Shane Carey and after that the damn burst and four more goals followed as the Down champions cantered home.
“Any game with five goals scored would probably get that sort of attention,” says Morgan.
“I think the goals scored towards the end probably made it look that wee bit more (one-sided) but I think that was partially down to the fact that Scotstown realised they had to go for it.
“Rory Beggan had pushed down the field to try to capitalise on our kickouts and that left them a wee bit more open at the back which is probably why that happened.
“I don’t think it’s a true reflection of Scotstown. They are a good side and they have a lot of good players but they had to go for it at an early stage and we were able to get those goals.
“Any way you win you’ll take it. A lot of boys played very well within the team so I’m sure there are a few of them very happy with their performance and hopefully they’ll be going into the final confident.”
MORGAN was fresh out of the Kilcoo minors when he joined the senior set-up in 2012 alongside All-Ireland-winning team-mates Ryan Johnson and Daryl Branagan. Since then 2018 is the only season his club hasn’t delivered championship silverware.
Burren ended a six-year winning run in the Down championship back then but the Magpies trashed their county rivals in this year’s final to record another six in-a-row. The wins are celebrated and then the Magpies set their sights on the next challenge.
“It’s just human nature where you just want to do well and do your best,” says Morgan.
“When we get our opportunity to celebrate we do take it - we’re human too in that sense.
“It’s probably just an element of that wee buzz when you do win something. It’s something that you’ve worked hard for and earned and that’s something you can’t get unless you do win it. That sense of achievement is maybe what drives the group on. It’s just that sort of relief to say we’ve done it.”
After winning the All-Ireland in 2022 they lost their Ulster title to Glen and the Derry men retained it last year but rumours of Kilcoo’s demise where, as they say, premature.
“There is a good group of boys coming through,” says Morgan.
“There are a lot of boys around 22-23 and I think there’s seven or eight with Ulster U21 medals for Down so there’s definitely a good group of boys coming through who want to achieve just as much.
“I think that’s maybe part of it - them wanting to drive it on.”
This year’s Down title was the second under the management of studious Donegal native Karl Lacey. Lacey had – as every recent Kilcoo manager has had – a big act to follow when he took over as manager of a club where success is only succeeded by ambition.
Morgan says the 2012 Sam Maguire-winner’s reputation as a player and coach meant he was able to hit the ground running in the Mournes.
“With the element of him being a younger manager and being a player not too long ago he has that connection with the boys right away,” Morgan explained.
“He’s a wee bit more chilled-out in that sense compared to other managers but he’s very professional in the way he conducts himself.
“He’s very driven, obviously his own career would give him the stamp straight away where he didn’t have to build up credit from the boys. He knew what it was about from the get-go and everyone knew that he knew.
“I think with the younger boys, quite a few of them got on towards the end the last day and he’s brought a lot of those boys on this year.
“I’m not sure how many different subs he’s used but he’s used all his panel so he’s been able to keep most of the boys involved, whether it’s in the Ulster Championship or the Down Championship.
“I hope that doesn’t sound disrespectful to any other managers that went before because they did the same but him personally that’s how I feel he’s got us to where we are.”
After the Scotstown victory, Lacey spoke about how players had been able to force their way into the side since the Ulster quarter-final victory over Cavan’s Crosserlough.
“Anyone can put their hand up,” he explained and Morgan says that the manager’s open-minded attitude keeps minds razor-sharp at training.
“It’s a good thing for the group but probably not great if it’s you personally (losing your place),” says Morgan.
“But ultimately, it’s better if everyone is driving hard. If everyone was guaranteed a position, I don’t think the training would be of as high a standard or there’d be as many people pushing night on night.
“It’s nearly good to hear him saying competition is high because that means his job is hard and obviously the team benefits from it all.
“Being back in the Ulster final is good for everyone even at training and stuff. The club will enjoy it. There are a lot of things that go on behind the scenes from a lot of people that aren’t on the field but they still put in as much effort as we are to get us here.”
SUNDAY will be Kilcoo’s sixth Ulster final but they’ve lost more (2012, 2016 and 2022) than they’ve won (2019 and 2021). Up against them at the Athletic Grounds is an Errigal Ciaran team that showed their battling qualities throughout Tyrone’s knockout championship and have so far accounted for Donegal’s St Eunan’s, Antrim’s Cargin and then Armagh’s star-studded Clann Eireann at the semi-final stage.
Amazingly Errigal are the only club from the Red Hand county to win the Ulster championship (1993 and 2002) and Enda McGinley’s side will take some beating on Sunday.
“They’re definitely a good side,” said Morgan.
“They came through the hard way with the preliminary round so they’ve definitely earned their spot. You don’t get there by chance coming that route and any Tyrone team coming out is always a good side and Errigal is no different.”
Backboned by experienced inter-county quality, Errigal are a tough, hard-working outfit who are spearheaded by the top drawer skills and flair of the Canavan brothers Darragh and Ruairi who scored 11 of their club’s 14 points in the semi-final win.
Kilcoo have capable man-markers in the likes of Niall Branagan and Ryan McEvoy. They kept Scotstown’s physical front two of Jack McCarron and Darren Hughes quiet in the semi-final win but the deft skills and movement of the Canavan brothers will present a different challenge for the Magpies’ defence.
“They’re a very good side with a lot of big names on their team,” said Morgan.
“It’s a massive challenge and just because we’ve won by whatever in a semi-final doesn’t guarantee anything in a final.
“It will take Kilcoo to be at our very best to beat them. We just have to take it as another game and go out hopefully and perform at our best and try to work a way round to see if we can stop them performing at their best.”
