Enda McGahern: Longford development squads can aspire to this success

INSPIRATIONAL: Longford manager Enda McGahern during the Electric Ireland Leinster GAA Football Minor Championship Final match between Longford and Dublin. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

All around Longford manager Enda McGahern, the scene was something between chaos and delirium.

Longford supporters made up the vast majority of the 2,000 supporters that were in Tullamore on Monday night and once the final whistle sounded on the minor’s 0-15 to 1-10 win over Dublin, none of them were in any hurry to get back up the N52.

McGahern himself however was a picture of calm, basking in a job well done.

“As a manager, I tried to be calm and rational and not get caught up in the occasion. We as management make changes as they need to be made”, he said.

“I told the players at half-time that they were not the team I am familiar with, based on their first half. I told them that if we started playing, imagine what could happen, think about how good we could be and how this game is well within our grasp, if we reach our potential.”

At 1-4 to 0-3 behind at the interval, they were hanging in, having conceded the last three scores and relied on goalkeeper James Ross to make a number of crucial saves to prevent Dublin adding further goals.

By full time they had all the momentum, having forced extra time due to Mark Cooney’s heroic late free from nearly 50 metres out, but this was the point where logic would suggest that Dublin’s superior strength in the depth might come to the fore.

“We gave ourselves a platform in the second half. The work that we did on wet cold nights in Shroid and in the gym was meant to motivate the players when their backs were to the wall,” McGahern replied.

“We knew we were tired approaching extra-time but we felt that we had the legs on Dublin. We told the players that it wasn’t about who starts, but who finishes the game. All our substitutes brought a fresh dimension.

“Cian was sick all week. The plan was to taken him off and then get him back on the field. The two tremendous points he scored (in extra-time), he had them in his locker”.

McGahern also paid tribute to his management team, which includes two of his former clubmates from Colmcille, Padraig Murtagh and Gavin Tonra (goalkeeping coach).

Dublin native Gerry Seevers, who has worked with DCU, is the coach.

“Gerry is a class coach. He brings a freshness as well as new ideas and enthusiasm,” he explained.

“In the short term, this will give all players a boost. The development squads looking at this game, the U-15s and U-16s, they can aspire to this success. In the long term, Longford football needs to ensure that it has a pathway for our players to get to this level, and then to develop from there as well”.

One of the players who will certainly be watched closely is Cooney, who captained the team from centre back and who had a magnificent game in a pivotal position, aside from his late heroics with the free.

Cooney’s bravery to take on that equalising kick with what was his first attempt on goal all day was praised by McGahern, but the player himself didn’t lack faith.

“When we trailed at half-time, I just told the lads to drive it on, go at them, we’ll get the win in the end. Every single one of those lads showed leadership,” he stated, deflecting from his own role.

“We were trying to force shots at times. But it came right for us in the end,” he added, with a special mention for that incredible dead ball score.

“I have been taking them all year, but they weren’t going over. I don’t mind now, today it did, and it’s fantastic for every one of these lads here, we’ve worked so hard for this”.