Roscommon’s impressive start: A native manager, two-point punch, the St Brigid’s break

Mark Dowd is the first Roscommon native to take sole management of the county team since Des Newton in 2012.

Roscommon footballer Diarmuid Murtagh poses for a portrait before an Allianz National Football League Media Event at the Salthill Hotel in Galway. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

For Roscommon and captain Diarmuid Murtagh, there was no disputing the reality of the situation. Relegation was a fear because they have suffered that hard landing before.

With that worry in the back of their minds, they came agonisingly close to a result in Killarney before beating Monaghan and Armagh in their last two games.

This is despite the fact they have a new manager at the helm in Mark Dowd. 

The St Brigid’s contingent who reached the All-Ireland club final are yet to return and stalwarts like Niall Daly, Donie Smith and Ciaráin Murtagh retired.

“I think no matter who you have on your panel, you will always be thinking you don't want to get relegated,” said Diarmuid Murtagh, speaking ahead of their Allianz League clash with Galway this Saturday.

“I think we have a reputation for being a yo-yo team, which doesn't really sit well with us, but we can't really argue with it because it has happened. It is the truth, the facts are there. But I think for any team, you're trying to be safe first and then maybe look up the table.” 

Roscommon have converted nine two-pointers so far, one off Meath, who lead the top two divisions with ten. It is something they targeted in the first half against Armagh last weekend with the wind at their backs, which Murtagh stresses often “on TV it doesn't look as strong”. 

They did all of this despite the fact that the sizeable cohort who claimed county and Connacht honours are yet to return. The fact that the St Brigid’s squad suffered a second All-Ireland final heartbreaking loss is not something he foresees being a lingering shadow.

“I suppose even when they were playing with Brigid's, I still looked at them as my team-mates with Roscommon so you'd always be communicating with them anyway, whether that is meeting them or if there's over Christmas there you might meet them for a few drinks or something. You'd always see them as teammates and friends. I suppose the thing there is you wouldn't really keep harping on about their year.

“I know myself if I was in their position I wouldn't like someone saying ‘how do you feel about the game, gone by there?’ I suppose knowing your crowd, some lads might need an arm around the shoulder, some lads might need you to say anything at all.

“But to be honest they're fine.” 

Diarmuid Murtagh of Roscommon in action against Gareth Murphy of Armagh. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

The hand on the tiller is familiar to Dublin-based Murtagh, who teaches in a school alongside his recently retired brother. Strokestown native Dowd previously managed him at U21.

Dowd is the first Roscommon native to take sole management of the county team since Des Newton in 2012.

“It is actually mad. I'd say since I've played with Roscommon a lot of my managers have been outside men,” said Murtagh.

“Now Kevin McStay would have lived in Roscommon all his life anyway and Fergal O'Donnell would have been Roscommon. John Evans there, Anthony Cunningham, even though I know he has lived in Roscommon as well, and David Burke then.

“There probably is something a bit extra when the manager is from where you're from. I think it is one of those things that it is great in hindsight that if you win something, it doesn't matter, and if you lose it is easy to blame that it is not an inside man.

“But personally I do like that. I kind of look at other counties around the country who achieve big things and they all seem to have an inside man as their manager.” 

Together they are trying to do something special. Their performance is rooted in place.

“I suppose it is the fact that he was born there and brought up there and maybe been through hard times with us and bad performances. If he wasn't the manager he is probably in the stand, disappointed as a fan. You know he is probably losing a small bit more sleep when you're losing a bit of sleep after a defeat as well. He is there in the thick of it near Roscommon town, so you know it affects him as much as us.

“It is very hard to describe, but it definitely is more personal.”