FOLLOWING on from Mickey Moran was never going to be an easy task – but Conleith Gilligan and Richard Thornton are still able to call upon their former mentor’s expertise as Kilcoo eye up another Down crown.
Moran called time on a hugely successful three-year stint with the Magpies just weeks after February’s remarkable All-Ireland triumph, with Gilligan and Thornton taking over the reins.
However, Moran has enjoyed a watching brief at some of Kilcoo’s championship games during this campaign, and could be among the crowd at Pairc Esler on Sunday when the Magpies bid for a 10th county title in 11 years against Warrenpoint.
Gilligan has spoken about phone chats between the trio on the way back up the road after games and Thornton insists that, such is his relationship with his former management team and the Kilcoo players, “Mickey will always be there or thereabouts”.
“To get to work with Mickey Moran in the first place was a great honour,” said the Coalisland man.
“The three of us worked extremely close together, we’ll have that bond forever now, and you’re never too far from the phone with Mickey. That’s never going to change, I hope.
“Mickey had told us he was going to walk away at that stage [earlier this year], that he was very happy with how things had ended – he was content in that. Although nobody wanted him to go, he felt it was a natural step away.
“For myself and ‘Deets’ [Gilligan], the age profile of the team is excellent. At times last year we could have played better… the All-Ireland final was one of our worst performances. We built up a good relationship with the players, and we wouldn’t have been content walking away and, having had such success, three people all disappearing over the hill…
“There was a wee bit of responsibility on us, but it’s also an honour to still be involved with them boys and involved with the club.
“But Mickey’s never too far away - he’s like a father figure. He’ll always be there or thereabouts, and the boys love to see him coming to watch the matches.
“He’ll always be welcome in any huddle I’m ever involved in.”
And although the transition has appeared seamless, it wasn’t without some initial teething problems as, in the wake of being crowned All-Ireland champions, key men like Ryan Johnston, Ceilum Doherty and Dylan Ward headed Stateside for the summer.
Yet that offered the opportunity for youngsters such as Tiernan Fettes, Callum Rodgers and Macdarragh Hynes to see regular game-time through a decent league campaign, and that experience has proved hugely beneficial throughout the championship.
“To be fair to the boys they were up front at the start,” said Thornton of Kilcoo’s US-bound players.
“They said there was a possibility they might go to America, and with the All-Ireland being achieved last year and the level of commitment they’ve put in for so many years, you’d be a very cold-hearted man to say ‘naw, you’re not allowed to go anywhere’.
“They had a good time but they all came home in deadly shape, the lads who were home got a real good bit of time on the pitch, so it worked out.
“We wanted to try and get as much regular game-time into those younger boys and, to be fair to them, they did really well and it has stood to them.
“The big thing for me in the Down championship is that it’s so competitive. Everybody would look from the outside in thinking ‘sure Kilcoo get to the final every year’, but every team is very competitive and well set up. They all know Kilcoo inside out.”
