Coleraine ready to make another bit of history

When Richard Carey climbed the steps in Celtic Park five years ago, it was the culmination of an incredible rise. From a junior final in 2000, via an All-Ireland intermediate final in 2007, an unfashionable group of players wrote one of the great pieces of history in Derry’s annals.

Coming from a town that has traditionally been unionist-leaning, their grounds are actually in Portstewart, from where a big chunk of their players hail as well. There wasn’t a maroon and green flag to be seen around Coleraine town in October 2010, but the Port was awash with it.

They tore up the script that day and beat a heavily-backed Ballinderry, thanks to goals from Richard Carey and Colm McGoldrick. But it was their meetings with Sunday’s opponents Slaughtneil, both that year and the season previous, which arguably defined them.

Beating the Emmet’s in a disbelieving Dungiven in 2009 was a huge building block. Edging them out in a 2010 replay thanks to a stunning injury-time goal from Carey was even more significant.

At that time, it appeared that they were on their way to building a dynasty. But instead, they fell short in 2011 and dipped off. Injuries to key players disrupted them on an annual basis, and they hadn’t the depth to cope.

Sean McGoldrick has been at the helm all through, serving for more than a decade with his trusty assistant Sean McLaughlin by his side.

Well beaten in last year’s semi-final by Ballinderry, they looked a million miles away. Beaten earlier this season by Bellaghy, they looked even further off the pace.

But they have been galvanised since then and stunned the 2013 Ulster champions on Sunday night with a gutsy display. Two or three times Ballinderry looked to have done enough to get away, but Coleraine clung to them long enough to pass them in the home straight.

“It’s important. We strive to get to a final every year. It’s not through lack of effort. You need luck. You need luck with injuries,” said their boss McGoldrick, whose five sons all play and whose daughters Grainne and Meabh - who is nominated for a Camogie All Star - both represent Derry.

They started building the blocks a decade and a half ago. They lost that junior final to Ardmore but were promoted the same season. They haven’t looked back since.

From 2010, they’ve lost defenders Anton Rafferty, Mark Mearns and Cormac Trolan, midfielder Sean Paul Henry and forward Gregory Bradley. All still of playing age, but all gone for various reasons.

Winning a second championship in that light would almost surpass the first.