IT IS JUST over 20 years since Anthony Cunningham was first appointed the manager of St Brigid’s.
After Sunday’s victory over Scotstown, and as he prepares to lead Brigid’s into an All-Ireland club final against Kerry and Munster champions Dingle, is there anyone who has achieved his level of success while also flying so low under the radar?
While the age profile of managers continues to go lower, here we have a man of 60 years of age, still choosing to risk his fingers and toes to frostbite while he manages a team in this bleak midwinter.
When he took over the job first, Brigid’s had won the Roscommon title and reached the Connacht final, beaten by Salthill Knocknacarra in late 2005, Senan Kilbride coming on as a half-time sub in that game.
The next year, Karol Mannion was hitting the net in injury time as they beat Corofin to land the Connacht title. Their season ended the next day out when they lost the semi-final to Crossmaglen Rangers.
A clue to Cunningham’s longevity lies in who accompanies him in his management teams. Twenty years ago, he had the late John O’Mahony as his coach. Nowadays, he has cutting-edge figures alongside him in Evan Talty, the former Clare footballer who was on the losing side of an All-Ireland final with Kilmurry-Ibrickane in 2010, but also known now as iGaelicCoach.
They also have Owen Mooney of Fermanagh, who interestingly has been a long-term collaborator with St Brigid’s cult hero Shane Curran.
“There’s probably a bit more pressure as you go along,” said Cunningham of his years spent managing.
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“But you can get used to it. But I have a very good backroom team, really good coaches, Evan Talty, Owen Mooney, John Murray, so we have a very strong set-up. Very good strength and conditioning, our own gym, great facilities – the club is a really strong driver. They’re highly ambitious.”
After winning two county titles with St Brigid’s, he moved on to nearby Garrycastle in Westmeath.
He promptly delivered three county titles in succession, and in the final year, added a Leinster title when they beat St Brigid’s in the final. They kept going to the All-Ireland final when they were beaten by Crossmaglen Rangers after a replay.
Asked if this 2012 defeat was a motivating factor for him personally, he glazed over it. “Sure when you’re in the game you want to win, without a doubt.”
If he wasn’t prepared to go there for himself, he acknowledged the effect that a harrowing defeat to Derry’s Glen in the 2024 final had on this group.
“They’re a very intelligent and driven group, and they would have had that,” said Cunningham.
“They were disappointed last year, in the county championship, but they really want to put that right. They were in a winning position, albeit a great Conor Glass goal… it was just a couple of years ago, so they want to try and put that right.”
He has managed to fly under the radar despite his gifts as a player when he captained Galway hurlers to All-Ireland titles at minor and U21 levels, before winning two senior Liam MacCarthy titles.
He remains the only manager to have brought provincial success to two different teams in football and hurling, and he brought Galway from a position of not competing, to two All-Ireland finals.
The best managers employ clear logic. For Cunningham, he studied the Ulster final and watched Rory Beggan’s 11 points and man-of-the-match contribution.
To prevent that prospect, St Brigid’s employed the nearest defender to push out on Beggan whenever he came within 50 metres and kicking range of two-pointers.
They also tackled cleanly and hard, but they did not foul, and therefore Scotstown’s two-point threat was nullified.
It was not the perfect performance. The wastefulness of Scotstown in the final quarter will haunt the Monaghan men. That element owes just as much to the result as how impressive St Brigid’s were in their tackling and defensive shape, as well as several goal-saving interventions by the likes of goalkeeper Conor Carroll and Seán Trundle.
On Saturday night, Cunningham sat and watched the other semi-final between Dingle and Ballyboden St Enda’s.
He is keenly aware of how strong Dingle must be, because last year St Brigid’s spent a day at Ballyboden, playing them in a challenge match.
“It was a tremendous performance by An Daingean,” Cunningham said.
“The Geaneys there in the second half were outstanding, what a display. Everyone probably thought it would be the other way around by half-time, but a brilliant display by Daingean.”
It’s up to him, along with Talty and Mooney, to break it all down and figure it out before 18 January.
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'They’re highly ambitious': A 20-year coaching journey continues to All-Ireland club final day
IT IS JUST over 20 years since Anthony Cunningham was first appointed the manager of St Brigid’s.
After Sunday’s victory over Scotstown, and as he prepares to lead Brigid’s into an All-Ireland club final against Kerry and Munster champions Dingle, is there anyone who has achieved his level of success while also flying so low under the radar?
While the age profile of managers continues to go lower, here we have a man of 60 years of age, still choosing to risk his fingers and toes to frostbite while he manages a team in this bleak midwinter.
When he took over the job first, Brigid’s had won the Roscommon title and reached the Connacht final, beaten by Salthill Knocknacarra in late 2005, Senan Kilbride coming on as a half-time sub in that game.
The next year, Karol Mannion was hitting the net in injury time as they beat Corofin to land the Connacht title. Their season ended the next day out when they lost the semi-final to Crossmaglen Rangers.
A clue to Cunningham’s longevity lies in who accompanies him in his management teams. Twenty years ago, he had the late John O’Mahony as his coach. Nowadays, he has cutting-edge figures alongside him in Evan Talty, the former Clare footballer who was on the losing side of an All-Ireland final with Kilmurry-Ibrickane in 2010, but also known now as iGaelicCoach.
They also have Owen Mooney of Fermanagh, who interestingly has been a long-term collaborator with St Brigid’s cult hero Shane Curran.
“There’s probably a bit more pressure as you go along,” said Cunningham of his years spent managing.
“But you can get used to it. But I have a very good backroom team, really good coaches, Evan Talty, Owen Mooney, John Murray, so we have a very strong set-up. Very good strength and conditioning, our own gym, great facilities – the club is a really strong driver. They’re highly ambitious.”
After winning two county titles with St Brigid’s, he moved on to nearby Garrycastle in Westmeath.
He promptly delivered three county titles in succession, and in the final year, added a Leinster title when they beat St Brigid’s in the final. They kept going to the All-Ireland final when they were beaten by Crossmaglen Rangers after a replay.
Asked if this 2012 defeat was a motivating factor for him personally, he glazed over it. “Sure when you’re in the game you want to win, without a doubt.”
If he wasn’t prepared to go there for himself, he acknowledged the effect that a harrowing defeat to Derry’s Glen in the 2024 final had on this group.
“They’re a very intelligent and driven group, and they would have had that,” said Cunningham.
“They were disappointed last year, in the county championship, but they really want to put that right. They were in a winning position, albeit a great Conor Glass goal… it was just a couple of years ago, so they want to try and put that right.”
He has managed to fly under the radar despite his gifts as a player when he captained Galway hurlers to All-Ireland titles at minor and U21 levels, before winning two senior Liam MacCarthy titles.
He remains the only manager to have brought provincial success to two different teams in football and hurling, and he brought Galway from a position of not competing, to two All-Ireland finals.
The best managers employ clear logic. For Cunningham, he studied the Ulster final and watched Rory Beggan’s 11 points and man-of-the-match contribution.
To prevent that prospect, St Brigid’s employed the nearest defender to push out on Beggan whenever he came within 50 metres and kicking range of two-pointers.
They also tackled cleanly and hard, but they did not foul, and therefore Scotstown’s two-point threat was nullified.
It was not the perfect performance. The wastefulness of Scotstown in the final quarter will haunt the Monaghan men. That element owes just as much to the result as how impressive St Brigid’s were in their tackling and defensive shape, as well as several goal-saving interventions by the likes of goalkeeper Conor Carroll and Seán Trundle.
On Saturday night, Cunningham sat and watched the other semi-final between Dingle and Ballyboden St Enda’s.
He is keenly aware of how strong Dingle must be, because last year St Brigid’s spent a day at Ballyboden, playing them in a challenge match.
“It was a tremendous performance by An Daingean,” Cunningham said.
“The Geaneys there in the second half were outstanding, what a display. Everyone probably thought it would be the other way around by half-time, but a brilliant display by Daingean.”
It’s up to him, along with Talty and Mooney, to break it all down and figure it out before 18 January.
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All-Ireland Club Anthony Cunningham GAA Gaelic Football