Dublin facing a major test in bid to find successor to legend Gavin
JUST how do you go about replacing a legend?
That’s the poser confronting the Dublin county board as they set in train plans to seek a successor to Jim Gavin.
Now that the initial shockwaves following the announcement that the five-time All-Ireland winner was vacating his post have subsided, the task of putting in place a management structure that will seek to replicate the extraordinary high standards Gavin set on all fronts must be confronted.
If there is a feeling of relief in virtually every other county that there might be just the possibility the Dubs could be relieved of the Sam Maguire Cup, then it can be taken for granted that the drive to ensure the most famous trophy in Irish sport remains in its current habitat will be unrelenting.
Gavin’s phenomenal achievements have seen him scale a new peak in managerial terms and even those who are thought to be among the frontrunners to step into his shoes — former boss Pat Gilroy and ex-player Dessie Farrell among them — will undoubtedly view the role with some trepidation.
Underpinning Gavin’s success was his ability to tweak his side on an ongoing basis with Brian Howard and Eoin Murchan the two latest recruits to offer glowing proof of their manager’s inherent ability to spot and mature talented players.
In masterminding six All-Ireland triumphs in seven years, Gavin not only fashioned Dublin’s protracted tenure at the top but also played a key role in the recent evolution of Gaelic football.
It can be taken for granted that no managerial appointment in the recent history of the GAA will be followed with greater interest, indeed awe, than that which will be shown in Dublin’s quest to unveil Gavin’s successor.
Under his baton Dublin were deemed invincible — such are the pressures associated with the job, indeed, that the challenge of maintaining this status should really come with a health warning.
KILCOO: M McCourt; N Branagan, Aidan Branagan (1-0), N McEvoy; S Johnston, Aaron Branagan, D Branagan (1-2); Aaron Morgan, D Ward; E Branagan (0-2), P Devlin (0-2, 1f), R Johnston (0-2); R McEvoy (0-2, 1f), J Johnston (0-1), C Laverty (0-1)
Subs: J Clarke for E Branagan (57m), F McGreevy for R McEvoy (64m - Black card)
NAOMH CONAILL: S McGrath; U Doherty, AJ Gallagher, K McGettigan; E O’Donnell (0-2), A Thompson (0-1), E Waide; C Thompson (0-2f), L McLoone; B McDyer (0-1), E McGettigan, E Doherty (0-1); J McKelvey (1-0), C McGuinness (1-1), K Gallagher
Subs: M Boyle for AJ Gallagher (HT), D Mollloy for K Gallagher (51m), N Byrne for C McGuinness (57m), K Gallagher for E Doherty (61m), No replacement for A Thompson Black card (67m)
Referee: Sean Hurson (Tyrone)
Attendance: 4,785
THE GAA is not only about identity of course, but the first Ulster Club title for the hardest of hardcore GAA clubs in Kilcoo Eoghan Rua will forever sustain this minuscule community of shepherds in a hollow of the Mourne mountains.
For a club that hadn’t won a county title in 72 years when they captured a Down Championship in 2009, they have been around this scene with seven of the last eight domestic championships.
They strived for years to parlay that into a provincial win, through managers Jim McCorry and later Paul McIver.
After their crown slipped last year with defeat to Burren, they went big-game fishing. They reeled in Mickey Moran, the man who transformed Slaughtneil and at the first time of asking, he delivered Kilcoo’s first and his fourth Ulster club in five years.
Only two points separated them in the end, but they played the smarter and better football, crowned by a few individual performances but none as staggeringly clever as their box of tricks joint-captain, Conor Laverty.
It must also be written into history the role of the man he shares stewardship of the team with. After their midfield flounderings against Fermanagh’s Derrygonnelly Harps in the semi-final, they took remedial surgery.
They moved the big frame of Aidan Branagan — one of five brothers on this team — from full-back to midfield and he snuffed out no less than Donegal star Ciaran Thompson.
With that business sorted out, it became a game about counter-attacking. And when it came to it, Darryl Branagan pouring forward and notching 1-2 from half-back, the playmaking of Paul Devlin, the darting runs of Eugene Branagan and Ryan Johnston
and the ability to provide moving targets by the inside men of Laverty and Jerome Johnston was just too much for Martin Regan’s Naomh Conaill.
Still, it felt like they had to go and win that game a number of times.
With a minute to go from halftime, Kilcoo actually looked to have it sewn up and any jeweller nearby might have made a start on etching their name on the Seamus McFerran Cup.
Three goals in three minutes followed, shared between the teams with Glenties taking two.
The Kilcoo goal began that crazy period. Daryl Branagan poked a ball forward to Laverty before taking the return pass. It was then switched into the hands of Paul Devlin who squared to the incoming Aidan Branagan to