TYRONE native Cathal Corey is determined to “give it everything” as he prepares to step up to inter-county management with Sligo.
Kildress clubman Corey has taken over from Niall Carew at the Yeatsmen after establishing a track record of success at club level that included guiding Donegal’s Naomh Conaill to the 2010 Ulster championship final. He has also had stints Derry’s Slaughtneil and Ulster University and had been touted as a successor to Jim McGuinness in Donegal after the 2012 All-Ireland winner stepped down in 2014.
He was overlooked then and again this year when the Tir Chonaill county board opted to appoint Declan Bonner following Rory Gallagher’s departure, but when one door closed, another opened and Sligo stepped in to install the Wolfe Tone’s clubman a week ago.
“I’ve waited a long time to get the chance to work with a county team, so I really want to give it everything I have and make the most of the opportunity,” said Corey, who has followed in the footsteps of fellow Tyrone native Mattie McGleenan by managing outside the Red Hand county.
“I want to work hard with Sligo and try to make them competitive and see where we go. It’s going to be tough, but I’ll just have to manage as best I can.
“I’ll be travelling to Sligo on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays so it’ll be trying to manage everything. I have good support from home and you need all of those things.”
Sligo – who beat promoted Louth and Tipperary and drew with Armagh in Division Three last year - begin next season’s NFL campaign with a trip to the Athletic Grounds.
“You have to look forward to games like that,” said Corey.
“I have managed a lot of different teams and done well.
“I’ve won a lot of matches and lost a lot of matches, but anywhere I went I’ve always made good friends and enjoyed it. It’s always been a challenge and this is another challenge.
“Sometimes at county level you have more help with your backroom team, you can delegate jobs. With a club team you end up having to get the jerseys sorted out and set up the training and you have everything to organise, but you have a wee bit more help at county level.”
Corey met with the Sligo players last weekend and was impressed with the attitude of the players who beat New York and Antrim in the 2017 Championship but came up short against Mayo, in Connacht, and Meath, in the Qualifiers.
“They seem ambitious and want to achieve their goals,” said Corey.
“We’re going to work hard and the next few months will be vital to us and the National League is very important.
“We’ll play trial matches, get our gym programmes going and prepare for the start of the League.
“Sligo have some good players and there are a lot of new players coming through.
“The minors were very good this year and the U21s have been competitive this last couple of years so there’ll be a lot of new players coming in.
“We’ll try to build a team but we have to hold our ground while we’re doing that.”
He is confident that the county’s experienced players – including Mark Breheny who made his senior debut back in 2000 – will sign on again for next season.
“They still seem very, very focussed and dedicated and they’re in great shape,” he said.
“They can still add value to the squad and as long as they feel like that they’ll still be in our plans.
“We’ve no intention to retire anybody until we see what everybody is doing and what everybody’s value to the squad will be.”
Corey will finalise his backroom team over the next fortnight but did confirm that his strength and conditioning coach will be highly-rated Donegal native Aaron Kyles.
