Brolly hails ‘inspirational’ Coleman

THE world of Gaelic games is in mourning following the death at 59 of Eamonn Coleman, who has gone down in history as the man who guided Derry to their only All-Ireland football success in 1993, against Cork.

A colourful and often controversial figure — fondly remembered by media people for his put-down ‘youse boys know nothing about football’ comment — he was controversially sacked by the County Board the following year. But, he returned to succeed Brian Mullins in 1999, taking the team to a second League title success the following year.

Former star Joe Brolly said that the Derry team had been ‘going nowhere’ prior to Coleman taking over. “We had a collection of very fine gaelic footballers. Each player, if you had seen them play for their clubs, was a marquee player but we weren’t going anywhere. He came in and brought in modern methods of training. He somehow communicated to us that we were winners,” he said.

Brolly also pointed out that current Derry boss Paddy Crozier had utilised Coleman’s motivational skills to inspire the county to victory over Tyrone in last year’s Ulster championship. “He delivered a thundering oration and with all the Derry boys, the hairs were standing up on the back of the necks,’’ he explained.

“It was a genuinely motivational speech and to think that just a year on, he’s gone. It’s very distressing.

“Eamonn was like a boy trapped in a man’s body and totally youthful. That makes it all the more shocking that he has died. He couldn’t be disliked. He was such a vivid presence for us, the leader of that group. He was so full of craic and so affectionate for us and affectionate for everybody in fact.

“He was a totally inspirational person. He told us we would win an All-Ireland. He used to say to me: ‘you’re the best corner forward in Ireland! I just can’t believe how good you are’. I only realised in hindsight that it was a lie but I believed it at the time. He somehow communicated to us that we were winners,” Brolly said.

“Everybody loved him and we were totally devoted to him.”

A native of Ballymaguigan in south Derry, Coleman won an All-Ireland minor medal in 1965 and was an Under-21 winner three years later. In the late 1980’s, he played a key role in Jordanstown’s (UUJ) Sigerson Cup successes in 1986 and 1987.

Coleman was handed the reigns of the Derry senior team in 1990 and first tasted success as a manager in 1992, landing the National League title. But 1993 was to be his defining year, when he guided the Oak Leaf county to All-Ireland senior success with his son Gary among the victorious players.

En route, he had masterminded the defeat of the then All-Ireland champions Donegal in the Ulster final and, after beating Dublin, they triumphed over Cork in a game notable for the controversial dismissal of Cork wing-back Anthony Davis, who was subsequently exonerated.

Barely a year later, following defeat to Down, he was replaced as manager (by Mickey Moran), a decision which caused wide divisions in Derry football. In Brolly’s view, it marked ‘the end’ of the team. “He was banished in amazing circumstances and without the team leader — a team is all about togetherness, loyalty and all that — we were struggling,’’ he commented.

Following a brief flirtation with Longford in the mid-1990s, Coleman then drifted into club management in Cavan, but by 2000 he had returned to Derry. He inspired another National League success and led them to the Ulster final where they were narrowly defeated by Armagh. He announced his resignation after the game, but was persuaded to stay on. A year later, another All-Ireland final appearance looked on the cards as they led Galway by five points midway through the second half at Croke Park, only to lose. A year later saw him make his exit finally.

However, within a year, he had returned to inter-county management, with Cavan before illness forced him to step down from the position in 2005.

Brian McGilligan, a central figure at midfield (with Anthony Tohill) during Derry’s best years, described Coleman as ‘a players’ man. “He was a man of few words, but he always spoke in layman’s terms. One thing I remember is that while most managers sit at the front of the bus and the lads at the back, he always came down to sit at the back with his players. There was no ‘us’ and ‘them’ with Eamonn. He’s gone down in history for ever and no one can ever take that from him.’’

Former Derry legend Jim McKeever — a club-mate — also joined in the tributes, saying he had been ‘a very significant figure’ in the game. “He was well-known throughout but not always appreciated. People like myself, from his own club, fully appreciated him more as a human being. He was a popular figure. The game is going to miss him.”