Bates enjoying Courtwood challenge

By Cian O’Connell

Gaelic Football is always on the agenda for Mark Bates. A team to mind, a training session to organise, a meeting to plan and plot for the future. Bates wouldn’t have it any other way.

On Sunday, Bates manages Courtwood, who face an accomplished St Joseph’s outfit in a Laois SFC semi-final. As Gaelic Football chairperson of Thomas Davis, Bates is busy, but assisting players is part of the remit. That brings a sense of satisfaction also.

A former Laois minor boss, Bates forged a good connection with Courtwood early in the year. Ensuring football was fun proved to be a key part of the journey for Courtwood, who produced a dynamic display defeating Portlaoise in the last eight. “You're starting out with a new group, you're planning ahead,” Bates explains.

“They came off the back of a difficult year last year, so part of the job was to get them to enjoy themselves again, really. We built off that in Division One. We'd mix enough form, we were playing well and winning, but I wouldn't say we were playing brilliantly.

“When we got towards the championship, that doggedness that is in them, it kicked in. They've been going well, we've no complaints.”

Bates was in charge of the Laois minors during Covid times when it was demanding from a coaching or managerial perspective. Sessions were limited and restricted meaning it was hard to truly develop players.

Eddie Kinsella, who refereed at senior inter-county level, worked closely with Bates. “During my time as Laois minor manager, Eddie Kinsella was managing the U20s, he is from Courtwood,” Bates reflects.

“I'd always be chatting to him, he'd be very fond of Courtwood. I'm originally Thomas Davis, when I was managing Thomas Davis minors, we'd have played Courtwood-Emo in a couple of challenge matches. They were going very well at that stage.

“We were going quite well in Dublin. So, I got to know them through that. They are in a good age group, the majority of our group are 24, 25, and 26.

“There is a good cohort younger and a few older lads. That is how I got to know them really, playing against them when they were 17-year-olds.”

It is something Bates is passionate about, integrating emerging players into the adult grades. Simply making sure footballers are afforded opportunities. “From a Thomas Davis point of view, I'd always have the development of younger players to hopefully push them on to adult teams, not just senior, but intermediate and junior, to progress the club to high leagues,” Bates says.

“In fairness, Thomas Davis are at Division One, Three, and Five which was the goal for the last number of years and they consolidated that this year. A pal of mine, Paul Nugent, became chairman of Thomas Davis, he asked me would I step into the role.

"He was the football chairman. So, I said I'd do it for a year to keep the cohesion, it just coincided with the Courtwood thing.

"I live in Laois. From a Thomas Davis point of view, it is just about keeping on top of where the teams are and that they're preparing properly.”

A couple of years as a selector with Paul Kelly proved to be time well spent. “Thomas Davis is my club, I'm originally from Tallaght,” Bates remarks.

“My father is from Clonaslee in Laois, that is the Laois connection. I was involved with decent juvenile teams in Thomas Davis, we did quite well with them, picking up a few Division Ones, and getting to a few minors too. Paul Kelly was managing the senior team in Thomas Davis, he asked me would I go in with him, just as a selector.

“I went in with him for two years, that was to bring the minor group we had, the Division One group, who got to two minor A finals, we wanted to bring them through to adult, a player pathway. That was my job.

“That went well, we won the senior B Championship and got to the Senior A Final. Then, I moved into the Laois minor gig, and I'd a year managing my father's club, Clonaslee, after that.”

Ultimately, sport is about maximising the resources available, and Bates is encouraged about the positive environment in Courtwood. “They've bought into everything,” he says.

“From the start of the year we'd 27 or 28 players and you're thinking it is going to be hard to keep these going. I had a meeting with the chairman and junior manager at the start of the year.

“Consolidating in Division One is really important, but getting that junior team from Division Seven to Division Six is nearly more important. We put a big focus on that. It gave a lot of junior players a lot of football and a lot of training.

"We really kept them engaged, we promoted the junior team, and wanted them to do well. They ended up getting promoted which was great. You always tend to lose players when you've that many, I can only play 15 to 18 or 20 in a game, but we'd 31 training on Tuesday, so we gained a couple.”

Momentum has been generated and a feel-good factor matters to Bates. “You've two adult teams in Courtwood,” he adds. “I always find, when both teams are going well, both teams will really go well. If both teams are going bad, both teams will really go bad.

“You'll see that even in hurling and football clubs, dual clubs, the likes of Clonaslee and Rosenalis, all of these places. If the senior hurling team aren't going well, chances are that the senior football team aren't either. They all feed off each other when you've the same players.”

So, Bates is delighted that Courtwood have reached the penultimate stage against Michael Dempsey’s St Joseph’s, who triumphed in 2023. “At the start of the year when you're having a players meeting, there is no point standing saying getting to a third round or quarter-final is enough - it isn't,” Bates says.

“We want to push ourselves towards semi-finals and finals. Otherwise, what is the point of us being on the pitch in January, February, March, and April going through the hard slog. You've to believe in yourself that you can achieve something.”

Being mentally and physically ready is vital. “We've Paul O'Riordan in with us this year,” Bates says. “Paul is a sports psychologist; I worked with Paul before. He has worked massively on the headspace, thinking positively, putting the bad wolf to the side. If we've kicked a ball away or missed a shot, what is the reaction?

“Is the reaction going to be, you're after missing that or I need to get set for the kickout, tag my man or get set for the next ball? That is the way we're going.”

Wins over Crettyard, O’Dempseys, and Portlaoise illustrated Courtwood’s potential. The response to a loss against Ballyroan Abbey augurs well. “We were drawn against O'Dempseys in Round Three, a local game,” Bates reflects.

“Courtwood hadn't bet them since '93, I think it was. You could've been out of the Championship there. We won by three points, I was adamant we should've won by nine or 10. We had Portlaoise then, we were very good and still left a fair bit behind.

“We know coming into now we've a lot to work on because Joseph's are quite strong in the middle, they're well set defensively. Mick is there six or seven years with these guys and a lot of them won a Championship two years ago, they know how to play. We've to step up again. From that aspect we're really enjoying the challenge, trying to meet these teams.

“Last year Joseph's bet Courtwood. We're looking at that thinking we've improved massively from there to now. So, this is going to be a big test for us on Sunday, but let’s knuckle down and see where we are. Hopefully, we won't be too far away.”

In an overall context, Bates is optimistic about Laois football, believing progress can be made. “Justin McNulty needs to get a good bit of credit,” Bates replies.

“This will be his third year, some players didn't make themselves available last year for various reasons, but still he had the team very competitive up in Division Three from Division Four.

“They consolidated in Division Three and I know he will be hoping to kick on. There is hope. You've very good players coming through, but it is a matter of making sure we're garnering them properly.”

Bates is relishing his own Courtwood adventure.