Past Ulster disappointments driving Kilcoo - Corey
Corey took the reins at Kilcoo earlier this year
- Published
With 13 Down titles over the past 14 years, one may get the impression that success can be taken for granted in Kilcoo, but current manager Martin Corey insists there is a sense they "have left a lot behind them" beyond their county boundary.
The Magpies claimed Ulster titles in 2019 and 2021, going on to reach the All-Ireland final on both occasions and winning the latter.
However, there have been four provincial final defeats in the run that began in 2012, including last year's one-point reverse to Errigal Ciaran which has left the Mourne side as hungry for success as ever.
Corey, who stepped into the role in April after stepping away from a coaching role with Meath, feels he and his players are kindred spirits when it comes to the game and they will enter Saturday's Ulster final against Scotstown in Armagh's Athletic Grounds [18:15 GMT] determined to make up for recent disappointments.
"It's great when you go to a club like Kilcoo and see how much they love the game," he told BBC Sport NI.
"They are just as invested in it as I am, so it's been brilliant working with them.
"We are lucky we have that pool of players that have done well in their county and have their All-Ireland [2022], but there is that feeling they have left a lot behind them.
"The Kilcoo players are always looking to improve and that is something very enticing for me as a manager."
Although Kilcoo were 11-point winners over Scotstown in last year's semi-final, Corey is expecting a much tighter game in Saturday's final
Last year, Kilcoo made up for defeat to the Monaghan side at the quarter-final stage in 2023 with an 11-point victory at the semi-final stage.
While both sides retain plenty of the experienced figures from those meetings, both have also seen the emergence of fresh talent with Sean Og McCusker, Barra McEvoy and Lorcan Ward all coming off the bench in Kilcoo's Ulster semi-final win over Erne Gaels.
Donnchadh Connolly, Tommy Mallen and Max Maguire - All-Ireland minor finalists with Monaghan in 2023 - have bolstered Scotstown this season, so Corey is not buying into the narrative that previous meetings between the clubs will have a bearing this week.
"It's a new game and Scotstown have brought in a lot of young boys this year," he noted.
"They don't look like young boys as they are playing like leaders, so I'm sure Darren Hughes and those fellas will be happy to see them running around and doing a lot of work.
"It's a blank canvas this year with the way the game has gone, so I don't think there will be the same margin in it and it will be a tight affair."
'It will be interesting taking on old club rivals'
Still, Corey will not have to dig too deep when it comes to researching Saturday's opposition.
Hailing from Scotstown's main rivals Clontibret, there is a familiarity with the players and also his counterpart David McCague, whom he played against and coached with.
That rivalry will resume on Saturday, but it is not his primary motivating factor as success for Kilcoo is his sole focus.
"For me, it's just another team and it doesn't matter who we are playing - it just happens to be Scotstown," he added.
"I would have a good relationship with a lot of their players, coached a lot of them and with David and his backroom team before, so it will be an interesting day.
"Me and David go back a long way. He's a good lad and it's no surprise Scotstown are where they are. It's good to see that hard work coming through for him.
"We are on opposing sides but we are used to it as we used to play against each other, so we're probably just picking up where we left off from our playing days. We'll shake hands before the game and shake hands after, and that will be it."