STAYING power isn’t something you have, it’s something you develop. Over almost a decade of dominance in Down, Kilcoo have mastered the art. Like a good marathon runner, they know exactly how to pace themselves, how to stay in touch, and when to take off.
The early rounds of championship seldom showcase the best the Magpies have to offer. Last year they had to rebuild through the back door after defeat to Warrenpoint. Against Clonduff on Sunday, a series of spurned opportunities left the Yellas to rue another close call against their neighbours.
Yet at no stage did you sense any panic among the Kilcoo ranks. The feeling that they would ultimately do enough when they had to hangs in the air almost every time they take the field.
Even if Barry O’Hagan had rattled the back of Martin McCourt’s net to put Clonduff a point ahead with five minutes left, it would have taken a brave man to back against Mickey Moran’s men getting the job done.
It’s a confidence and a discipline that comes from years of experience and continuity of selection. Even looking back to the 2012 Down championship win over Mayobridge that set the ball rolling, the Kilcoo starting 15 on Sunday included five of those who took the field nine years ago – Niall Branagan, Aidan Branagan, Paul Greenan, Conor Laverty and Jerome Johnston.
Fellow 2012 starters Daryl Branagan, Paul Devlin and Niall McEvoy are all on the way back to full fitness, Darragh O’Hanlon is recovering from a knee injury, while Gerard McEvoy and Feilum McGreevy were among those on the bench against Clonduff.
That core group have been there through the eight county championship successes since, with the 2019 Ulster title breakthrough the culmination of a long-held ambition. That’s where they want to get back to. Keeping motivated? Staying hungry? It isn’t an issue, never has been.
“See to be fair, they are a really good group, especially the players themselves,” said assistant boss Conleith Gilligan in the wake of Sunday’s round two triumph.
“You don’t have any trouble with training or nights or any of those sorts of issues, they’re hungry for work and mad to improve.
“The older players keep them in check and the younger players have come through a good system where they know the standard that’s there, and they rise to it.
“They’re very easy to deal with, and it makes it very easy for us. A lot of the good stuff they do, they do it on the field themselves – there’s leaders all over the place, they can make switches when needed without us having to say anything.”
And when it isn’t happening for some players, another will step up. Jerome Johnston finished with 1-1 on Sunday, but found it hard to escape the shackles of Clonduff captain and county team-mate Darren O’Hagan.
As a result, brothers Ryan and Shealan both stepped up in the second half after a lacklustre first, while Ceilum Doherty was superb all day, landing three from play.
“The advantage is you don’t know who’s going to have a big game. If somebody has a quiet day, somebody else steps up – they have that about them.
“We’ve got a bit more game-time in some players; Dylan Ward has 10 minutes in him and part of his recovery was he was going to get playing today no matter how the thing went, and he did really well.
“Daryl’s been carrying a knock, we didn’t want to risk him so that extra bit of time will be massive for him. Same for Niall McEvoy, and then even within that Paul Devlin’s coming back, Darragh’s doing his work, there’s loads of players working their way back so it’s good to have.
“Hopefully we’re in a better position injury-wise when we come back, because we have been struggling a wee bit. That’s the advantage of the win today, in that it gives you an extra week [to prepare for the quarter-final], but that’s all it gives you.
“The teams you’ve beat in the first two rounds are all coming back at you again and then that gives them an advantage, because you usually learn more when you’re beat.”
