‘We’re going to be pragmatic about it’

Eoghan Coll has been down this road before. A more compact season makes things more challenging but like his CBS players, the joint manager just finds a way to overcome the obstacles that are put in his way.

Coll was the manager in 2019 when CBS snatched a dramatic All-Ireland crown from under the noses of Scoil Phobail Sliabh Luachra. He would dearly love the Paddy Drummond Cup to return to the school next Sunday evening.

“Everyone thinks that the set-up they’re involved in is the be-all and end-all. Everyone is entitled to their view. Lads are generally fairly easy to deal with. But you’re negotiating all the time.

“You want to go as seamlessly as it can but, naturally, the county minor and U-20 stuff is coming up over the next few weeks. It’s not easy, but it’s something you have to manage.

“It’s better than not having the problem. You could be sitting here with no team in an All-Ireland final. I would just prefer if there was a longer window there to do your own thing.

“The logistical part of it is a little less cumbersome than it was. There’s no secretary or officials behind the scenes as there would be in a club. Myself and Noel (Moran) deal with things. There are lots of little things to hop over, but nothing major. But it takes up a bit of time. Now that we know the details of the match, things are pretty much straightforward,” he explained.

A ravenous appetite to make the team among the 32-strong panel gives Coll and his management team another headache they’re only too glad to deal with.

“We’ve a good panel. There’s not an awful lot between the players. We keep telling them that. I wouldn’t be a believer in preaching to them that there’s competition, and then going with the same 15. The players aren’t stupid, they won’t pass any heed on what you’re saying unless they can see the evidence.

“Selection is based on performance in training and in games. That bit of cut between them and pushing for places — that drives them on. There are no guarantees for any players the next day. There are obviously a few lads who are strong throughout every game, but there are a lot of lads chomping at the bit to get in for the next day.” 

Despite dealing with a 4G pitch, the CBS players generally thrived in the acreage afforded to them by St. Peter’s College in Abbotstown last time out. Coll doesn’t see that happening on Sunday, so the brains trust among the CBS management have been coming up with ways to make sure that the Connacht champions can keep the scoreboard ticking over.

“We got a lot of space up front against St. Peter’s. I wouldn’t envisage the same amount of space on Sunday. So we’ll have to manage that and sort out a plan to set ourselves up the best we can. But we’ve been doing that all year. You are always playing against lots of different styles.

“We need to turn up and be able to manage what the opposition is doing. From what we know, they’re going to go quite defensively. There’s no point crying about it. We’re going to have to break it down and figure out a way around it. Once the lads go over the white line, they have to try and keep the space and find the gaps.

“I would say that Strokestown were quite defensive in the Connacht final. How defensive Carrickmacross will be, we’re still trying to figure that out. We’re used to it, but we’d prefer the more open game.

“What we want and what’s going to happen, however, will be two different things. We have trained for those scenarios where it’s very crowded. It’s no secret that you have to move the ball quicker to break that down.

“We’ve been working on movement largely, keeping a bit of width. We have good runners. It’s about trying to get the timing right to get our boys into space. We know not to panic, keep it going, and eventually probe and find the gap. We’re going to be pragmatic about it,” he insisted.

And how are his players feeling ahead of Sunday’s date with destiny in Longford?

“As much as you can, you try and prepare them for what’s coming. Certain lads will respond very well, other lads might not. It’s about talking, getting into their ear individually — let them enjoy it, but keep a bit of perspective. At the end of the day, it’s the 60 minutes on the pitch that will define everything. The craic afterwards is fine, we just have to keep tabs on it beforehand.” 

Coll is also hoping that the CBS risk v reward strategy pays off once more next weekend.

“Schools’ football is essentially following what everybody sees. You've got to adapt. If there is a chance of a turnover, you have to manage to break that system down. You’re going to get opportunities, no matter what game it is. At some point, there will be a mistake. That’s the point that we’re trying to hammer home.

“A lot of lads are coached to mind the ball at all costs. There are obviously certain times in the game where the risk is worth bombing on. The goal we got the last day came from a kickout. We saw the gap and three of the players went. If you’re not watching for it, you could easily end up turning back and the chance is gone. It might be only once or twice in a game that the opportunity comes, but you have to take it,” he highlighted.

Regardless of what happens on Sunday, Coll feels that the county has a decent cohort of players capable of being successful in the Roscommon jersey going forward. But they need to be protected from such a crammed season, in his view.

“For us, there’s such a draw on these lads. The club season is narrow and goes on until the end of the year. The county set-ups are up and running since November. Lads are being pulled, but we’re managing it.

“The season for schools’ football is very compact. That’s nobody’s fault, but it needs to be looked at. It’s very hard on these guys, they’re being pulled in a lot of different directions during the year. You have to take school into that as well — some of them are doing their Leaving Cert. In that context, to have as many as we have fit is great,” he concluded.