GLEN’S back-to-back winning manager Malachy O’Rourke has heaped praise on strength and conditioning coach and long-time assistant Ryan Porter.
O’Rourke and Porter have been together for close to nine seasons. They were joined at the hip in Monaghan for seven years where they guided the Farney County to two Ulster titles in 2013 and 2015, and have now helped make history at the Maghera club by winning two championships.
On Sunday, Glen defeated 2020 champions Slaughtneil for the second consecutive time in a county final and now await the winners of the Tyrone SFC final between Errigal Ciaran and Carrickmore ahead of their Ulster opener on Sunday November 13.
Just like last year’s county final clash with Slaughtneil, Glen’s sprint start was key to victory at Celtic Park on Sunday as they raced into a 0-5 to no score after 16 minutes - a deficit the Emmet’s never recovered from.
“I suppose every team targets a good start but in these games and when teams do go defensive it is so hard to get a bit of a gap,” O’Rourke said.
“But when you do, the other team has to come out a wee bit. But I have to give it to Ryan Porter – he is brilliant at having a team primed during the year. You have to get better as the year goes on but he just had them right. That’s a talent that he has and it came through in the final again.
“I’ve been with Ryan for seven years in Monaghan and now with Glen here as well. He’s a great man and we’re lucky enough to have a few good years.”
O’Rourke is arguably one of the most sought after managers on the GAA circuit. When a vacancy emerges on the inter-county scene, the Derrylin man’s name is invariably linked to it. But the speculation, he says, doesn’t distract him from the work at Glen.
“That’s par for the course and to be honest you’d be very appreciative of that, people who are interested in you and the fact people do want to talk to you, so I never take that for granted.
“It’s just at the minute with the club here and the savage effort the boys are putting in and the ambition of the club we’re just really enjoying it. That’s where I’m devoting my attention at the minute.”
Glen might feel they are better equipped for a crack at Ulster this year after going down in gut-wrenching circumstances to Kilcoo in last year’s semi-final, the club's first provincial campaign.
But O’Rourke knows the fine lines of Ulster only too well.
“I’m not trying to deflect the question or trying to be smart but I’ve been enough Ulster Championships at club and county level to know, unless you’re right every day you go out you’ll be turned over. We play the Tyrone champions and it’ll be a one-point game either way.
“We’ll prepare as best we can but we know if we’re not at it we’ll be knocked out in the first round. That’s what’s in front of us.”
