FOR SLIGO FOOTBALLER Niall Murphy, this has been one of his longest season’s playing football. But the length of the labour is almost negligible considering the prizes he’s piled up in his locker so far in 2023.
He kicked 1-4 in the Division 4 final as Sligo clinched league honours in April at the expense of Wicklow. Last month, he was back on club duty with Coolera-Strandhill, top-scoring with five points as they defeated St Molaise Gaels to climb to the summit of Sligo football. Moreover, Coolera-Strandhill’s victory breaks up the dominance of Tourlestrane’s seven-in-a-row run as champions.
It’s just their third Sligo SFC crown after falling short in the 2019 and 2021 deciders, and their first since 2005. Making that long awaited breakthrough is what puts Murphy in an unfamiliar position, facing into a Connacht quarter-final against Roscommon champions St Brigid’s. But while Murphy’s season continues to roll on to new terrain, his body isn’t giving way to the demands.
“I’ve been lucky this year, I’ve had no niggely injuries at all. I probably threw myself straight into club and only took a week off. I don’t think I’ve missed a session all year which is great. It has been a long year and I’ll look forward to a couple of weeks off whenever we do finish up, and then get back into the county season,” he says.
Coolera-Strandhill were trailing by three points at half-time in the county final, after playing into a strong breeze in the opening act. The deficit didn’t trouble Murphy though. Even if his side were four or five points adrift, he’s confident that there wouldn’t have been any panic in the dressing room at the break. Such scenarios have been discussed, and solutions explored.
“We wouldn’t have had too many complaints,” says Murphy. “They missed a couple of shots and I knew we had a strong breeze in the second half. We hadn’t played well at all and we would have discussed being five or six points down and what to do.
“It wasn’t unfamiliar to us. And then in other games, we would have drawing or losing going down the stretch and we would have pulled a goal back to win. We pulled a score back in extra-time in another game to win. So, no panic.
“I had my stag on the Friday after the county final so there was a gang of us off to Liverpool. We probably celebrated a bit too hard but it was a great week. We still got a three-week lead-in time [to the Brigid's game]. We’ve done three or four sessions now. A lot of our lads have never played outside the county before, or been up in Hyde Park or anything like that.”
Their ongoing rise has been built on their homespun talent, including the management team of Enda Mitchell and Adrian McPartland. But they have received some outside help too.
Their centre-back Ross O’Carroll is originally from the Dublin giants Kilmacud Crokes. His brother — and three-time All-Ireland winner — Rory is still kicking ball with the Stillorgan side. Ross left the capital for the Yeats County in 2021 where he now lives with his wife and children.
There’s also Jonathan Cassidy. Originally from Carrick-On-Shannon, he’s now one of the Coolera-Strandhill corner-backs, while their full-back Seán Taylor is Ballyshannon born.
Another defender, Luke Bree, is from the local area although he previously played for St Vincent’s of Dublin, who he won an All-Ireland with in 2014. Remarking on O’Carroll’s contribution, Murphy says that the former Dublin squad member is already building a fanbase among the locals.
“Ross has been brilliant for the club, he plays hurling for Coolera as well. He’s probably a bit of a cult hero at this stage.
“He’s an enigma. He doesn’t really drink but you’d hear some of these stories and you’d think he had some drink on but he’s just smart, funny and witty guy. He’s an Irish and history teacher in Summerhill College but he enjoys the odd prank. There’s some good stories.
Queen Medbh herself must have woken from that roar at Final Whistle in Markievicz Park. Cúil Irra/Leathros abú 🔴⚪️⭐️🏁 pic.twitter.com/uHckZusj2E
— Coolera/Strandhill GAA (@CStrandhill) October 22, 2023
“When he came in two or three years ago, we had obviously heard his background and we were delighted to get him. He’s a serious player and he you’d think he’s been a club player all his life with Coolera. He’s stuck in with the hurlers as well, and he’s going in with the U20 county team this year. That’s how much of a high regard he’s held within Sligo. A solid fella.”
Murphy has been blessed with the mentors he’s worked with at club and county recently. His Sligo manager is former Armagh star, and 2002 All-Ireland winner Tony McEntee. Donegal legend Colm McFadden was drafted in as a forwards coach with the team last year, and recently retired Mayo star Kevin McLoughlin will be linking in with them in 2024.
Coolera’s local boy Enda Mitchell was part of the Sligo U20 squad that reached the All-Ireland final this year while McPartland is part of the county’s minor backroom team.
“They’re both under 40,” says Murphy. “They’ve been involved in management for a long time. Enda is a teacher and has coached St Attracta’s, and Edenderry, and they’ve been successful as well. Adrian has been involved with underage Sligo teams for the last number of years, and coaching Coolera teams as well.
“Even at a young age, they have plenty of experience built up. And they’re clubmen at the end of it all, so they know us all inside out.”
Murphy’s season is already quite long and if it’s to be extended a little further, Coolera-Strandhill will have to account for St Brigid’s this Sunday. The Roscommon outfit have reached eight Connacht senior finals, capturing a three-in-a-row between 2010 and 2012. Their last title was capped off by an All-Ireland title, after a sensational comeback against Ballymun Kickhams in Croke Park.
Their pedigree in the provincial competition is obvious, but it won’t be the same St Brigid’s team taking to the field in Hyde Park on Sunday afternoon. In fact, Ronan Stack is the only survivor from that All-Ireland-winning team in the current selection.
“They have massive tradition and huge history behind them,” Murphy says about the challenge that awaits Coolera-Strandhill.
“They’re probably one of the most well-known clubs in Ireland. We’ve done a small bit of homework on them. The management team have seen their county final against Boyle but it’s not something we’ve really delved into.
“We focus on ourselves but playing against them with Sligo, there’s three or four of them there that are representing Roscommon. I’d have a fair idea of the names and their strengths but it’s something we’ll look into further as the week goes on.”
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