Ageless Kearney hoping to weather Vincent’s storm
IN the face of the driving rain and northerly gale Slaughtneil assistant-manager John Joe Kearney is suited and booted. In oil skins from top to bottom, a pair of wellies on, clutching a bag of footballs.
It was a typical scene from pre-season. It’s why the club championship is deemed ‘the toughest’ of them all. As Anton Moran gets the Davitt Park pitch ready for training, the Emmet’s squad report for duty.
On June 9th Kearney will turn 70. Not that he looks it. Being around a football team keeps him young. He is content, with a stereotypical relaxed mood. An atmosphere that has spread through the squad. It comes from hanging out of each other’s pockets with a trust fashioned from being through the championship mill.
“It’s far from pre-season but we don’t even think about that,” explains Kearney. “Our concentration is on St Vincent’s - that’s what it’s all about.
“We played Down and Tyrone U21s, we felt we needed the games and hopefully they’ll stand us in good stead. The games were necessary and they were competitive. We won both games. To keep on winning is not a bad thing either.”
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On Loughgiel run to the All-Ireland club title, PJ O’Mullan’s team availed of the Emmet Park lights. With the increased traffic across three codes, Slaughtneil have moved their training from pillar to post. There is good will and Kearney is appreciative, that’s the way the GAA works.
“Clubs have been good to us - Castledawson, Loup, Bellaghy and tonight is Swatragh. You might have local rivalry but when it comes to someone pushing on, like we are, for an All-Ireland Final place, clubs are prepared to help you out. They have been generous, there is no two ways about it.”
When the Slaughtneil management team sit down this week, they will have a full complement to select from.
“Everybody is back. Barry (McGuigan), G (Paudie McGuigan) and Gerald Bradley, so there is big competition for places. As long as something doesn’t happen between now and the game, everyone will be raring to go.”
The headaches start, but Kearney doesn’t complain: “We’ll have a bit of fun picking the team but it’s a nice problem. There are a few men coming back and pushing for places, so I don’t know what way it is going to pan out.
“If the team is the same as the last ‘locka’ matches, if anything goes wrong at all we know the men sitting ready to come in can do as good a job as those on the team – that’s a great bonus.”
Looking ahead to Sunday, the research is a work in progress but the names have already jumped out at Kearney.
“All I have saw of them (St Vincent’s) was the game against Rhode. They look sharp, they have a quite a few forwards. They have two wing half forwards, young Burke (Gavin), Diamond (Cormac) and Varley (Enda) at full forward, Trainor (Ruairi) at number 13 isn’t bad either.
“Not to mention Mossy (Quinn) and Mr Connolly, who I mention last, they are a formidable outfit.”
Without hesitation, the former All-Ireland winner jumped in with his own team’s strengths.
“The balance I can put on that is that we haven’t conceded a goal this year to date, that’s down to our goalkeeper and six defenders. We hope we can curtail them from scoring. Our defensive record is good and we hope it will remain intact.”
Is there a temptation to change the Slaughtneil system?
“No,” came Kearney’s response. “We’ll play our own game, there is no question. We’ll get our men lined up to mark their men and hope we get it right. We have no fear of any of our defenders and their ability of marking anybody and hopefully on the day it will go alright for us.”
The identity of Diarmuid Connolly’s chaperone will remain a secret but Kearney is only too aware of the impulsive threat he carries.
“You can’t ignore him, he is that confident that he’ll make a score out of absolutely nothing. That’s the danger with him. The goal he scored against Rhode, when he collected the ball he was 14 to 20 yards out.
“Anyone else would have even fisted the ball over the bar but he just turned onto his left and put it across the goal and in at the opposite post. You can’t give him an opportunity or he’ll punish you.”
Facing some of the top forwards in the game wouldn’t have been on Kearney’s radar three years ago. The Emmet’s have transformed from perennial bridesmaids to top dogs in Derry.
“We have been very lucky to inherit a group of lads who are probably a group of the best footballers that have ever been around Slaughtneil,” admitted Kearney.
Why are they so special? Kearney ponders briefly and replies: “I think it’s their commitment and discipline. The commitment to listen to what Mickey (Moran) is saying and to take it on board. They are good among themselves, there is no bitching and I think that leads to a good squad.”
Since lifting the 2014 senior title, Kearney speaks of the new blood being drip-fed into the dressing room: “There has been a bit of experience gained from the three years. There has been the introduction of a few young lads, our wing forwards (Shane McGuigan and Meehaul McGrath) and Feeney (Keelan) at wing back.
“That’s not taking away anything from the men they replaced because it is a very fine margin between them.”
On Saturday, the Derry champions will need it all, but Kearney draws inspiration from the efforts of the club’s camogie team.
“We are a team that has matured, we are a team that is not going to beat anyone by a bagful but we’re not going to be a team that is beaten easily either. Look at the camogs last weekend. If they went down a score, they came back and scored another one just as quick. It seems to be an in thing around Slaughtneil, to never give up – whether it be girls or boys.”
As Kearney heads back outside to face the elements and get another training session underway, he enjoys a joke with Swatragh stalwart Willie Turner. They both laugh.
On Saturday Kearney will take up his familiar position along the line. Glasses on. Notepad and pen in hand. Mickey Moran to his left. Moran’s son Anton won’t be far away- neither will Willie Hampson, Kearney’s wing man from 1989 in Croke Park.
The quartet will be relaxed. The work is done. It’s time to let their team fend for themselves.