SPORTING TEACHERS CIARÁN GOURLEY: EMMET RIORDANmeets the All-Ireland medallist who has enjoyed national success as both player and coach with St Patricks' Academy, Dungarvan.
THE ONGOING battle between Kerry and Tyrone to be acclaimed team of the decade in Gaelic football has one more year to run, with the Munster giants tipping the scales at the moment with four titles to three.
The jarring fact that the Kingdom have lost two of the last four deciders to Mickey Harte’s side gives them the upper Red Hand in many people’s eyes, with their 100 per cent final record since the start of the millennium cementing their reputation as the team for the big occasion.
At schools level Tyrone have also dominated of late, winning five of the last six MacRory Cup titles in Ulster and the last two All-Ireland Hogan Cup crowns.
Ciarán Gourley has played his part in the success on both levels as part of the Tyrone senior panel and as coach and teacher at St Patrick’s Academy, Dungannon, the defending Hogan Cup champions.
The school claimed their fifth MacRory title on St Patrick’s Day, defeating great county rivals and 2007 All-Ireland champions Omagh CBS 2-7 to 1-9.
They now face Jack O’Connor’s Coláiste na Sceilge in an All-Ireland semi-final in Portlaoise on Saturday in yet another clash between Tyrone and Kerry sides, battles that Gourley believes are the perfect breeding ground for future senior inter-county stars.
“It’s all about getting used to that level of intensity that you expect when you step into inter-county football.
“The level of commitment and work that’s put into any county team now is increasing year by year. The schools players see that and want to follow on,” says Gourley, who also enjoyed success as a student at the school.
“I was lucky enough in my final year in school as we secured a MacRory Cup and a Hogan Cup (1997). So I’ve been fortunate to see both sides of it, as a player and coach,” adds the defender, who made his return to inter-county action with Tyrone at the weekend after recovering from a knee injury.
Gourley knows only too well how the senior side’s success in recent years has helped motivate the students and increased numbers participating at the school.
“They’ve seen the Sam Maguire come into the school on three occasions, they’ve seen the success that’s happening out there.
“After winning the All-Ireland we were hosting trials and there were huge numbers out to give it a go. I think that’s a reflection that everybody in the county was on a great high.
“We have about 40 players on our panel. We wanted to be fair to any player who put the effort in. Most years you have a whittling down process because players are not getting opportunities or whatever, but this year they were all determined to stick at it. Players just want to be involved. It can be special if it works out,” he admits.
The strength of football at schools in the county has helped Tyrone at minor level also, adding to the senior success last September by sealing the double in a replay victory over Mayo, their third title of the decade.
St Patrick’s and Omagh CBS provided seven of the starting 15 underage champions and Gourley knows that level of success will continue to help the growth of the game in the county.
“The competition within the county itself is only good for what’s going to happen on teams that will represent the county. It’s a reflection too of the success of what’s happened in the last 10 years in the county at all levels.
“There’s a level now where the expectation is so much, they want to follow in the footsteps of players that passed through the school and went on to represent their county.
“They see people representing the minor and senior team and they want to follow them. It’s a healthy competition, it’s good to have.”
