While Cooley's inopportune 2003 SFC exit was heartbreaking (to put it mildly), they did collect their first piece of senior silverware in eight long years. David Thornton's seven-point contribution was integral to the Kickhams' ACC Cup final defeat of St Marys in Dundalk during the second weekend of May. Prior to 2003, the last time Cooley Kickhams took to the winner's rostrum at senior level was in 1995 when they won the ACC Cup. The bridge was finally gapped at Dundalk Gaels' pitch on May 9th '03 when the peninsula men once more claimed the subsidiary league, powering to a 2-10 to 0-10 victory over Ardee St Marys in the decider. Though the ACC Cup certainly wasn't Cooley's main priority going into the season (they justifiably had their sights set on even bigger things), putting an end to the eight-year wait for senior honours is surely a significant step in the right direction. And they were full value for their early-season triumph. Cooley shot out of the blocks and their springtime form showed no sign of rustiness whatsoever. They played some superb football in the subsidiary league, storming to a thoroughly deserved outright victory and marking themselves out clearly as the team to beat in the senior championship. Of course, the SFC was the primary objective for the '03 season and Cooley carried their impressive form into the premier competition, cantering through the group phase and defeating Kilkerley in the 'last eight'. However, the most bizarre game of football in this correspondent's living memory saw the competition's firm favourites come unstuck in a low-scoring semi-final on a scoreline of 2-0 to 0-5. Worse still, that defeat was suffered at the hands of peninsula co-inhabitants St Patricks! Thus a freak result ensured that the best team in the 2003 SFC wouldn't be contesting the final. It's a bitter pill for Cooley to swallow, particularly as they were definitely good enough to take Joe Ward home in '03. However, it wasn't to be. Better now to focus on the positive aspects of 2003 rather than dwell on the heartache. On a positive front, Cooley played some excellent football in the championship up until their premature demise and they know that if they reproduce similar quality in 2004 then they'll take serious stopping. They also won the ACC Cup, a noteworthy achievement in itself. While the ACC is hardly the most prestigious trophy in the world and Cooley people won't be getting carried away over the win, it's STILL a senior competition and the breakthrough at worst represents a significant symbolic success for Cooley. Beware! The Kickhams are back winning senior trophies! In his 13th season on the Cooley first team, David Thornton made a telling contribution to the ACC Cup breakthrough. Lining out at centre forward, he kicked a total of seven points from frees and open play ... a vital input as the winning margin was six. It was the first senior trophy of the year and Cooley replaced their nearest neighbours as holders. Goals from the two Seans - O'Neill early on and McDonnell late in the game - left the Deesiders feeling down and out. Cooley were quickest into their stride and busily set about compiling a five-point interval margin, 1-6 to 0-4. The goal came from the influential O'Neill in the sixth minute: the big man reacted sharply when Mark Thornton's flick rebounded off the post and despatched the loose ball to the back of the Marys net. The Ardee men enjoyed their only spell of dominance in the third quarter, during which they knocked over four points without reply. They had drawn back to within two points and the game looked very much in the melting pot until Sean McDonnell effectively closed it out with his 55th-minute three-pointer. It was a neat finish from the Cooley man who lobbed deftly over the hapless Peter Duffy. David Thornton and Gavin Long added insurance points for the winners and Niall Sharkey's late point for the men in blue was nothing more than a meaningless statistic. After a protracted eight-year sabbatical, Cooley were back on the winning trail... Cooley's semi-final defeat of Roche Emmets (who had beaten Mattock, Stabannon and Glyde to reach the last four) was perhaps their most convincing win of the year. Bearing in mind that it was the penultimate stage of a senior competition, their 4-12 to 0-6 victory (also at the Dundalk Gaels pitch) on March 30th was nothing short of staggering. That win clearly demonstrated what Cooley are capable of when they click... For the initial stage of the subsidiary league, Cooley were in Group B, a strong section including neighbours St Patricks, Newtown Blues and Hunterstown Rovers. They drew with the Pats (2-7 apiece) in the first round, before coming out on top against the Blues (2-6 to 0-9) and Hunterstown (2-15 to 2-8). Reflecting on the ACC Cup campaign as a whole, team stalwart David Thornton admits that everything went pretty much according to plan: "It was the ideal start to the year. Our main target was to win the Joe Ward but we set our stall out to win all three competitions. We were determined to give it 100% in every game and take everything we got. You could say we were going for the treble because there wasn't any competition we DIDN'T want to win! "We were experimenting with a lot of players in different positions early on in the year and it worked very well for us as the year went on. Even though we were fielding experimental sides - as many clubs tend to do in the ACC Cup - we kept winning and before we knew it we were in the final. And when you get to a final, you want to win it regardless of anything else. "Roche had a few players missing for the semi-final but we played well and did what we had to do. We were flying at that stage and went into the final full of confidence. In a final, you want to win - it doesn't matter who you're playing. We knew the Marys were a good side - they finished 2002 by winning the Cardinal O'Donnell Cup - but we fancied our chances and managed to come out on top." From a personal point of view, David enjoyed an excellent campaign and his form was instrumental in the win. "I normally play well enough at the start of the year and it was nice to play in a final. That was the main thing, I suppose, and to get a few points was a bonus. We were taking it one game at a time at that stage and things were looking pretty good." Cooley went into 2003 as one of the leading contenders for Joe Ward glory. If anything, the ACC Cup breakthrough strengthened the players' resolve that they could land the big one. Says David: "We knew we were good enough. There was never any doubting that. We had added David Hughes and Gerard Craven to the team. We wanted 'the Joe'." Despite a gallant effort, things didn't go according to plan, however. Cooley breezed through the group stage of the SFC, drawing with Lannleire before beating St Marys and Clan Na Gael to finish top of Group C. In particular, the second-round thumping of the Marys (4-11 to 0-8) caught the eye and sent shockwaves reverberating throughout the Wee County. Quarter-final opposition was provided by Kilkerley at Haggardstown on Sunday August 10th and Brendan O'Neill's goal at the end of the third quarter proved the crucial score as Cooley prevailed by 1-11 to 0-9. Then came the semi-final disaster. 2-0 to 0-5, Cooley's first defeat in the competition sent them crashing out of contention. Despite dominating proceedings and conceding only two scores (both coming within a minute) over the hour, the Green & Golds still lost to neighbours St Patricks, who must be still wondering how they got out of jail at Dowdallshill on August 28th. It would all have been so different had Ger Craven's second-minute shot hit the net rather than the crossbar. As it was, Cooley were - rather incredulously - out. Unbelievably, the 2003 SFC final would be contested by a team they had hammered and another they had restricted to two scores! Looking back on the 2003 SFC, David Thornton notes: "We came through the group stage okay but blew hot and cold against Kilkerley. When we played the Pats we couldn't get the ball over the bar. We had easily 70% of the possession and our backs were all over them, but we couldn't score. It was disappointing and we're still struggling to get over it. It's going to take a long time to get that one of our system. "We were so focused on winning the senior championship and were very confident going into the game. It didn't happen for either team on the day but they were lucky to get the two goals. Apart from that, they never even looked like scoring. I still don't know how they beat us. It's unreal. "We took a very professional approach all year and no stone was left unturned in our bid to win the Joe Ward. Pete McGrath came to some of the training sessions and he added a whole new dimension to the team. He introduced a lot of fresh ideas but we failed to put the ball over the bar when it mattered most. "It was the same last year when we only scored one point in the second half against Dundalk Gaels. But this year was worse ... the place is still in shock. It's hard to believe. The Pats got to a county final by scoring twice against us. They probably can't believe it either. I was talking to some of their players and they said themselves that they don't know how they won that game. Even though we were poor ourselves, we were definitely the better team on the night but we didn't take our scores." Needless to say, that bitter setback took some of the gloss off the ACC Cup win. "Some Cooley people probably don't even know we won the ACC Cup! We were going all out for the championship, so, as a whole, the season was a disappointment. "But we've won a senior trophy and we know we're good enough to win many more ... there's no doubt about that. To be honest, I can't see us not winning the SFC next year! We'll be there for two or three years at least and if we keep plugging away we'll get our just reward. Only two or three of the current team are over 30, so we're not going to lose too many players," predicts the Cooley attacker. Optimism abounds: "There's no reason why we can't win a senior championship now. We regularly have around 45 lads out training between the junior and senior teams and we had 15 players on the pitch this year as well as seven or eight others on the line who are equally as good. We have subs that'd make any other team in the county and our strength in depth should become a telling factor. "What happened against the Pats in 2003 was one of those nights that'll never be forgotten in Cooley ... not until we win a senior championship anyway!" Expect the 2003 ACC Cup winners to go very close to the Holy Grail in '04. Eoghan represented Louth in Croker on September 28th Not since 1957 had a Louth man been part of a senior set-up in Croke Park on All-Ireland final day. In 2003, however, Cooley Kickhams clubman Eoghan O'Neill bridged the 46-year gap in his capacity as Armagh first-team physio, writes Gerry Robinson. The sight of a Louth man at Croke Park on All-Ireland final day is something we don't see often enough, but Eoghan O'Neill bucked the trend in '03 when, as team physio, he was part and parcel of the Orchard County's ultra-professional intercounty machine. Okay, there may not have been a Wee County team out on the pitch but the ties that bind north Louth and south Armagh GAA are close and Eoghan certainly flew the Louth flag with distinction. Without further ado, let's get on with the story... In terms of professionalism, Armagh are years ahead of the rest of the country. Thus, there could be no greater endorsement of the esteem in which a physiotherapist is held than to be invited into the Orchard camp. Such a fate befell our own Eoghan O'Neill from the Cooley outpost of Glenmore, a Cooley and Louth man to the core but now an honourary Armagh man to boot. In 2003, Eoghan witnessed at first hand how a professional intercounty team operates, how they are managed and motivated and what makes them tick. Armagh came agonisingly close to retaining Sam and the Cooley man was as much a part of the team as anyone. What was it like? "It was an incredible experience. I'm honoured to be there as a Cooley man and also as a Louth man, but I'm also deeply honoured from a personal and professional perspective to be part of such a great team. Also, as a big GAA fan myself, it's a real thrill to have become professionally involved in the sport I love and I've been very lucky to get such an opportunity. "There's a vast network of professionals involved in Armagh and the net spreads so wide it's unbelievable. In fact, it's gone international at this stage. At the nerve centre of it all is 'Big Joe', who set the whole structure up on his own. Their approach is so focused and so effective that it could be used as a model by all other counties." Does this include Louth? "We could learn a lot from Armagh. They are more positive in their approach and more professional in every aspect of their backroom team. Even the most minor details are covered to ensure that the team that turns out on championship day is as well prepared as possible. It's a very meticulous approach and the key to that is organisation. Most importantly of all, Armagh play to their strengths and that has been their secret. All the players are in their best positions and there's no way Armagh would ever play their best forward 80 yards from goal..." Eoghan O'Neill epitomises the deep connection between Armagh and Louth GAA. When Armagh won the All-Ireland in 2002, Louth joined in the celebrations. Naomh Malachi shares a parish with Crossmaglen and the Orchard County team regularly trains on Wee County soil. During the course of '03, Joe Kernan and his charges availed of four different Louth venues for training - Cooley, Lordship, O'Mahonys and Sheelagh. Eoghan graduated from the Jordanstown class of '99 as a chartered physiotherapist and his career has taken off in a big way since. He now runs two clinics - one from his home in Glenmore and another in Carlingford. The GAA been a big part of it, as the Cooley man relates: "As soon as I qualified John McDonald took me on board with Cooley. My second year, I was with Cooley and Mullaghbawn. I was also asked to get involved with the Armagh minors and was with them for three years. In the third year, I also progressed to the U21 squad." Then in November 2002 came the big break: having decided to introduce some new faces to freshen things up as his team set about their All-Ireland defence, Joe Kernan invited Eoghan into the Orchard County senior camp. The Louth man was the obvious choice - he had worked with seven or eight clubs in south Armagh at this stage as well as the county minor and U21 teams and was well known and respected in the area. It was an offer he was never going to refuse. Bearing in mind that most physiotherapists in the country would jump at an opportunity to be involved in something so special, how proud was the man from Cooley to be offered such a high-profile and coveted position? "All you can do is emulate the level of professionalism that's already there. I firmly believe that, nationwide, Joe Kernan stands alone for his professionalism and comprehensive analysis of even the most minor detail in his set-up. He has a very good grasp of everything you need to run a team and I am privileged to be part of that." Eoghan has been asked back for another year and preparations have already begun for Armagh's next attack on Sam. It's a very hectic schedule, with a number of injuries needing specialist treatment both at home and abroad. As part of the treatment and rehabilitation process, the physio often employs and co-ordinates various specialists. "It's demanding for sure, but you get your rewards. It was nice to be involved with such a great team. After working with the lads for ten months, you get very close to them and it was downheartening to see them beaten in the final game of the season after such a great run. They never got any breaks in the final, but that's the way football goes sometimes and you have to get on with it. "These 30 boys are very, very special and they will stand up and take it. You won't hear any moaning. They have been very gracious in defeat and were an example to every other team in terms of how to conduct yourself as All-Ireland champions. "Myself and Joe sat down shortly after the final and looked at the injury list and immediately began to make preparations for launching a full-scale onslaught in 2004. We're already sending a couple of lads overseas to have their injuries looked at. It's an onerous task at times but it's a great set-up and a great team. We're not always 100% right, but we try to get as close to 99% as possible!" Eoghan is an ardent Cooley Kickhams clubman. He played for the club at all levels and his brothers Sean, Cathal and Brendan are on the present senior panel, as are his cousins Alan and Emmet Page. Both Alan and Sean are well-known for their exploits with Louth and Eoghan himself wore the county jersey at minor and U21 levels. It's certainly a unique position Eoghan finds himself in - a brother and a cousin playing for Louth while he has one foot in the Armagh camp! Would he like to get involved with his native county? Can he see himself doing so at some point in the future? "At the moment, I'm 100% committed to Armagh and that's where my loyalties lie professionally but of course I'm a Louth man and I would like to break onto the Louth scene at some point. Obviously, the Armagh thing won't last forever and I have to bear that in mind. Working with Louth certainly isn't something I'd rule out ... if I was asked. "I'd love to be back closer to my own heart but at the moment my heart is set in Armagh and they're at the top of the market in terms of professionalism, so it's the dream job in many respects." Does Eoghan agree that Louth can learn a lot from their northerly neighbours? "The footballers are in Louth so it's a matter of putting a system in place that will maximise the players' potential. There's no doubt about it ... the talent is there if we play to our strengths. "It has to start from U12s up and right through the Development Squads. Louth football seems to have taken a step in the right direction with plans for the new development in Darver and hopefully that project is a sign that professionalism is coming more to the fore and that we are about to re-emerge as the major power we should be. "The club scene in Louth needs to be developed and the likes of the Pats, and Mattock the previous year, winning the senior championship, should have a positive knock-on effect and will certainly help. "Mattock went into Leinster and had tremendous success there, in contrast to the county's more traditional clubs. It was a remarkable achievement for Collon but we can learn a lot from it. They had a simple game plan, were well organised and played to their strengths. The simple, direct approach can be the most effective." Are Armagh living proof of this? "Armagh's key principles are pace, power and aggression. Pace and power come from the training ground; aggression - you either have it or you don't. They also have a great workrate and place tremendous emphasis on 'the team'. It really is Club Armagh'. "If we could take those simple things and develop them in Louth and work to our strengths - because there are many strengths in Louth football - then we can move forward and challenge again." The Wee County had an exceptional minor team in 2003 and Eoghan agrees that these lads could be the future of Louth football: "We should be looking at them. There are some brilliant footballers there and we can't afford to lose them. Perhaps the County Board should consider bringing in a specialist or consultant to show us how to harness the talent and put it all together. That's where we're falling down. We have the players and it's a question of developing a Leinster-winning team from that. "Shane Lennon is not just a great prospect but also a very professional young man in his approach to the game. He's ready to explode onto the scene in a big way. He comes from a big football background and is one of the most exciting prospects in the country. We have to put the structures in place to accommodate talent like that." As well as the county scene, Cooley Kickhams has always been very close to Eoghan O'Neill's heart. He played for the club, as do his brothers and cousins. Failing to win the 2003 SFC was a huge bodyblow: "We had a great chance and it was very hard losing the semi-final, no matter who it was against. The fact that it was our arch-rivals St Patricks made it a little worse, but it was a disappointing end to the year because Cooley looked so good up until the semi-final. "But we're not too far away and we've had successful minor teams for two or three years. If Cooley harness all their ability, they can win the championship next year. Cooley could take off in a really big way and they could become a major power again - but I really feel it has to be done in 2004 or the impetus could be lost otherwise. "Dare I say it: Cooley are Armagh-like in their physical strength, with players like Alan, Sean, Jonathan Clerkin and David Hughes. If they play to their strength, nobody could stop them. After the way they lost this year, they have to grasp the nettle now. Thirteen years without a championship is too long for such a big traditional club and we've had too many good minor teams recently not to come to the fore. "I think we're in for a great club championship in Louth next year. The Blues and Cooley will be challenging and the Pats will be there again. Mattock could return to the fore after a quiet year and the Brides are made of strong stuff too. It's going to be very interesting." During the past twelve months, Eoghan has become a huge admirer of Joe Kernan. The Cooley man concludes: "His man-management skills are extraordinary. Joe is all about motivation, loyalty, honesty and integrity. The only other man I knew who came close to him was the late James Gregory who led Cooley to championship success in 1989/90 and is one of my all-time managerial idols." Tweet

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