MOONEY READY TO TOPPLE OLD HERO

CAOLAN MOONEY is out to get one over on his childhood hero in this Sunday’s Ulster intermediate final. Growing up in Rostrevor, there was no shortage of Mourne role models for the Down star but he looked across to Tyrone and Seán Cavanagh for inspiration. ‘From a very young age, I was a big fan of Tyrone football,’ Mooney said ahead of Sunday’s tussle between Rostrevor and Cavanagh’s club, Moy. ‘When I was younger and more naïve, I was a Tyrone supporter and Seán was everything I wanted to be — big, physical, maybe not quick but he’s not slow. ‘He’s definitely a role model for young boys through the years and I would have looked up to all the success he had. And he has come back after a few defeats too, although I am not going to let him win on Sunday.’ Mooney (below), who spent three years in the AFL with Collingwood, was considered for inclusion in Joe Kernan’s International Rules squad although Rostrevor’s run to the Ulster intermediate final meant that he had to turn down the opportunity. ‘My auld fella is a part of the management team, so that made the decision a lot easier,’ Mooney smiled. Given his father’s deep connection to Down and Rostrevor football, he must have found it funny that his son grew up, supporting Tyrone. ‘He always thought I was just supporting them on the day but I remember in 2005, Tyrone minors were playing Down and my brother was part of the minor squad, so I supported them. But when the senior game started, I put my Tyrone top on. But those days are long gone now.’ Nonetheless, Tyrone’s success can be a template for Down as they look to build on a summer that saw an unlikely Ulster final appearance and a Championship outing in Croke Park. ‘I think Down are good enough to push for Division 1 next year,’ Mooney reckoned. ‘Last year, we tried a system that we weren’t used to and it worked for part of the year but it was exploited against Tyrone because they were further down the line.’’