NY boss Holland ready to rock Rossies in Big Apple battle
In the perennial battle against a dwindling player pool, the exiles have been buoyed in recent weeks by the arrivals in the Big Apple of former Tyrone half forward Aidan McCarron and Monaghan half back Anthony Rooney.
Yet both looked doubtful starters after succumbing to injury playing for their clubs last weekend. Holland, however, is optimistic.
“I think we’re in very good shape,” the New York boss said. “Although they picked up one or two injuries last weekend, they should be okay to go.”
Holland will be leading New York into a championship match for the first time tomorrow and is the fourth manager in three tumultuous years for New York GAA. As manager of the Kerry Football Club, he has landed the New York SFC for the Kingdom for the last two years, while in the same period watched Gotham’s representative side hit for a combined 6-42 to 1-14 by Mayo and Galway.
Yet the Bantry native is confident he has brought a degree of stability and positivity to the New York panel.
“This team is definitely in the right frame of mind this year. In those other years they were playing against the big guns, against whom you don’t have a chance, especially when you have no-one to play as preparation.
“That is a big killer here and managers have had to try and change things round during (championship) games rather than before them.
“This time, though, I think we’re in very good shape, stronger than last year and we won’t be very far off them.”
While New York have been hit by players returning to Ireland to resettle at home, most notably free taker PJ Ward’s resumption of his Westmeath career, Holland is adamant the newcomers can fill the vacated boots.
“We’ve lost probably four main players from last year’s panel, who’ve gone home — PJ, Paul O’Connor, Jason Killeen and Eric Bradley. They’re all big losses to us but we’ve picked up a few players and they’re just as good as what we’ve lost. I’m very happy with what we’ve got.”
McCarron was a key forward on the Tyrone Under-21 team that lost the All-Ireland final of 2003 to Dublin and the Fintona Pearses man was on the senior panel as recently as last winter for the Red Hand’s McKenna Cup campaign. McCarron is joined by county colleague Chris Greene, last year’s Tyrone U-21 goalkeeper.
“To be on those panels, you have to be a very good player to be even brought in. Mickey Harte is a very shrewd operator and a very good manager and if you didn’t have football talent, you wouldn’t be on his panels.”
Holland is also hoping his own moderate success in New York will transfer to inter-county competition. A hardcore of his Kerry club is represented here, led by former Glenbeigh/Glencar man Pa Murphy, who skippers once again from the half-back line, while Niall Corbett of Firies returns to a corner-back berth and fellow Kingdom defenders Collie Fearon and Anthony Glacken are on the bench.
Other survivors from last year’s panel which was sunk by Galway include full back James Mitchell and forwards Mark Dobbin and Brian Newman. Gary Dowd, who played in New York’s first Connacht SFC game against Mayo in Castlebar in 1999, shares midfield with Ken O’Connor.
: C Greene; N Corbett, J Mitchell, D Rooney; C McKeever, A Rooney, P Murphy (captain); K O’Connor, G Dowd; A McCarron, S Munnelly, D Dorgan; M Dobbin, R Moran, V Gavin.
: J Williams, J O’Halloran. A Power, S Flynn, C Ferron, R O’Neill, S Kelly, P Smyth, D Petit, A Glacken, B Newman, G Kelly, S Lordan, M Keaveney, M Creegan.
: Aidan Mangan (Kerry).
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