ON SATURDAY, MICKEY Moran attempts to win a senior All-Ireland final as manager on the fifth time of asking.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The 2020 club final defeat with Kilcoo to Corofin, arrived after Slaughtneil fell at the final hurdle to the Galway side in 2015 and Dr Crokes in 2017.<\/p>\n
In 2006, his Mayo team were taken apart in the All-Ireland SFC decider by a ruthless Kerry outfit.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There were plenty of successes too. He experienced an All-Ireland win as part of the Derry backroom team 29 years ago, while he led UUJ to Sigerson Cup success in 2008.<\/p>\n
He brought Sligo to the 1999 Connacht final, Derry to the last four of the All-Ireland series in 2004 and led Omagh to the Tyrone SFC crown in 1988.<\/p>\n
It was Moran\u2019s tenure with Slaughtneil, who had beaten Kilcoo in a provincial final, that encouraged a group of senior players from the Down club to headhunt him in the winter of 2018.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cA few players did approach him, but what he had done with Slaughtneil, he was so successful with them, and they beat us in an Ulster final in 2016, so we thought, why not?\u201d says forward Paul Devlin.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIn 2016 there was only a kick of a ball between us and Slaughtneil so when our manager stepped down, we kind of went for it, and he\u2019s provided us with so many good days now.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHe brought us an Ulster title, and now he\u2019s brought us to two, and we can only be thankful for him, and hopefully on Saturday we can put in a performance that he can be proud of us with.\u201d<\/p>\n
Moran took charge of a group of players willing to do whatever it took to get over the line. That\u2019s what makes them a perfect fit.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kilcoo play a defensive, counter-attacking style under Moran but are also happy to play a patient possession game and hold onto the ball for long spells. One thing they strive to do is reduce unforced errors.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe team that makes the least mistakes in games, is the team that\u2019s probably going to win the game,\u201d explains Devlin.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomething that Mickey definitely kneels down on is to keep the ball as long as possible and be efficient when you get into the scoring areas.<\/p>\n
\u201cFootball seems to be going that way, you do see a lot more possession based teams, working back, and working it through the lines as such. Every team is different, some teams might let you kick the ball longer, so it comes part and parcel of Gaelic football.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Magpies have looked like a team on a mission throughout their Ulster campaign and All-Ireland semi-final. Their muted celebrations after the provincial final win against Derrygonnelly Harps said a lot about their ambitions.<\/p>\n