WITH many anticipating a repeat of last year’s county final between Kilcoo and Warrenpoint down the line, it is Burren’s job to rip up the script when they take on the reigning Ulster champions on Sunday night.
That is the view of St Mary’s assistant boss Gearoid Adams, as the rivalry which has dominated Down football for much of the last decade is reignited in a winner-takes-all back door clash at Pairc Esler.
Both have already fallen foul of the ’Point in this year’s championship, with Niall McAleenan’s men laying down a real marker after their victory over the Magpies last weekend.
Burren bounced back from a comprehensive opening day defeat to Warrenpoint with a win against Castlewellan, but Adams knows the stakes will be raised to another level entirely on Sunday.
“A lot of people are writing the narrative that it’s going to be a Kilcoo-Warrenpoint final, but there’s a Burren-Kilcoo history that has gone on from well before my time,” he said.
“It’s understandable that Warrenpoint are getting the attention they’re getting because they deserve it and it’s understandable that, with Kilcoo being Ulster champions, they won’t be too far away.
“They are going in as massive favourites in this game and Burren are going in as massive underdogs, but there’s plenty of good footballers in Burren. Games between the two have historically been very close.
“We’re going up against the Ulster champions so you know you have to bring your A-game.”
And the former Antrim joint-manager believes it is “in Burren’s interests” to try and halt Kilcoo’s momentum now as Mickey Moran’s men bid to build on a huge 2019.
“I’m mindful that I went through a stage with St John’s when St Gall’s were doing the same thing Kilcoo are doing now,” said the former Antrim stalwart.
“St Gall’s won Ulster, won Ulster again a few years later, then got the All-Ireland. Knowing that history, it’s in Burren’s interests to stop Kilcoo in their tracks as quickly as possible.
“I know the ’Point are still there and there’s other teams involved, but you could have that situation.”
Although this is his first year working alongside Burren boss Paddy O’Rourke, Adams is well aware of how competitive battles with Kilcoo have been in recent times.
He was part of the Down backroom team under Eamonn Burns and also had a spell in charge of Clonduff, either side of his involvement with the Saffrons alongside Frank Fitzsimons.
And Adams feels there are significant lessons to be learned from last year’s Down quarter-final replay defeat to Kilcoo, which ended Burren’s defence of the Frank O’Hare Cup.
“I’ve watched the DVD a number of times, and even at the second or third time watching it you’re thinking ‘when are Kilcoo going to come back into this?’ because Burren were by far the best team for the majority of that game. Then, in the space of five minutes a four point lead is overturned, and the rest is history.
“But Burren have loads of talent coming through, and there’s a wealth of experience with boys like Conaill McGovern, Kevy McKernan, Connor Toner, Donal O’Hare... I’ve told them plenty of times there’s probably more ability in Burren than any team about, it’s just then getting the game-sense and the know-how to get through these games.
“Getting beat by Warrenpoint is still hurting the boys so you have to learn from these experiences and use them later on. Obviously Kilcoo are the masters of these close games so we have to learn from what happened last year and improve upon that performance.”
