Rory Gallagher’s celebrations came in for some scrutiny at the weekend.
Manager celebrates when his team scores. Nothing out of the ordinary there.
The only difference was that, as a born and bred Fermanagh man, Gallagher was celebrating against the county he played with, and a bunch of players he managed up to four years ago.
Some commentators, such as Dick Clerkin, have said that Gallagher’s reactions showed a ‘lack of humility that we expect,’ but speaking on The GAA Hour, ex-Tyrone player Kyle Coney doesn’t feel there was any badness in the manager’s mind.
“That’s just him and how he manages,” says Coney.
“I don’t think he’s playing up to the cameras, I think he’s just passionate and that’s how he goes about his business.”
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“When you look at that celebration and when you look at how Derry play, they play in how Rory Gallagher celebrates.
“They feed off that energy and that wee bit of nastiness in the tackle. That’s their energy. He has them boys pumped up,” added Coney.
As well as his animated persona on the line, Gallagher brings a very intense, hands-on approach to management in general. He regularly takes part in the Derry warm-ups for example, as Coney noticed in their All-Ireland quarter final win over Clare last year.
“I seen someone saying online a few weeks ago when he was part of the Derry warm-up that Gallagher does it all for the cameras.
“I have no doubt that that’s just how he is. I remember at the All-Ireland quarter final last year, watching Derry’s warm-up, a kick passing drill across the pitch – Rory Gallagher was in the middle of it, receiving ball, shipping it left and right.
“Look, if Derry keep getting the success, what’s there to give out about?”
Coney sees some similarities between Gallagher and his Ardboe club manager Gavin Devlin, who has been Mickey Harte’s right hand man for years, with Tyrone and Louth.
“Through my Tyrone career, Mickey was the only manager,” says the 33-year-old.
“But Gavin ‘Horse’ Devlin, he was Mickey’s right hand man and they’d be like chalk and cheese. He’s our club manager at the moment and while he wouldn’t have been as lively as Rory Gallagher, he would be giving it all that whenever there was a score.
“Mickey would have been the calm one on the line,” he added.
You can listen to the Gallagher chat from 45 minutes here.
Related links
- ‘I was gobsmacked to see Mattie Donnelly coming off’ – Kyle Coney
- Aimee Mackin channels her inner David Clifford
- Canavan asks Conor McManus the question on every Tyrone fan’s lips
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