John Donoghue getting ready for another decider with Kiltale

By Cian O’Connell

In the old Sigerson Cup format, finals frequently turned into a battle. That was precisely the case in 2003. Down by the banks of the Lee, there was no shortage of top inter-county talent on display at Páirc Uí Rinn as NUI Galway eventually defeated UCD.

It was a wicked afternoon when John Donoghue’s defiance inspired NUI Galway. A dual player with Moynalvey and Kiltale, Donoghue proudly represented Meath in the Leinster Senior Championship in both codes.

A couple of decades later, Donoghue is still serving Gaelic games. Kiltale and Kilmessan’s imminent meeting in the Meath SHC decider is capturing the imagination.

Respected neighbours are getting ready to clash with the stakes piled high. “Over the last 15 years or so, while we'd have played each other regular enough, we haven't played that much at the business end," Donoghue says. "There has only been one final between us previously, that was in 2007.

“That's 19 years ago, it's great to be back in a final, and there is an extra bit of intrigue attached to it because it's against Kilmessan, next door neighbours of ours.”

That triumph was the start of a glorious spell for Kiltale, who won seven Meath titles in 11 years. “It was, I'd have played in the earlier part of that through to about 2015,” Donoghue reflects.

“I'd always have been in and around it. We do have a handful of lads that have all seven medals, from the couple, and the five in a row. We've only won nine championships in our history, getting seven in 10 or 11 years was certainly a glory period.

“You thought it was going to keep going. Suddenly, we find ourselves it's eight years since we won one, it feels like quite a long time.”

Donoghue knows the value and importance of developing structures and helping players flourish. Kiltale maximised resources in that silverware laden spell. “A lot of it was off the back of really good work done at underage,” Donoghue says.

“We're a small rural club, these things go in cycles. We just happened to get a talented bunch, but numbers through in the one go. That backboned the team for those 10 years.”

Moynalvey and Kiltale occupy a central role in Donoghue’s life. “When I finished playing in 2018, I'd 2019 then which was a bit of a bridge year,” he says.

“I played a bit of junior football and second team hurling, just tipping away. I took over Moynalvey then the following year, I'd three very enjoyable years over the senior team there. We were senior at the time.

“We went alright, we progressed as far as a quarter-final against Ratoath. I enjoyed that. The way it fell, as I was stepping down from Moynalvey after three years - which I think is a reasonable time with a fresh voice needed - the Kiltale job came up.

“More by accident than design, I found myself stepping into that much to my wife's displeasure, I'd say. I did three years there, we went very close last year, and that swayed me to give it another go this year.”

After losing a replay to Ratoath was it difficult to reset? “I didn't find it hard,” Donoghue replies.

“What I took out of last year was that there was a huge desire still within the group. Even though it's a few years since we've won a championship, the boys are still very hungry. A good few of them were part of that five in a row team, there's still a huge hunger and desire.

“That's probably what has given me the motivation coming back. Being close last year, losing out to quality Ratoath team, we knew we weren't too far away.”

It’s a busy time. Dual players are being accommodated, but striking a balance was something Donoghue always tried to do. “We've quite a crossover,” Donoghue says.

“Moynalvey is the other end of the parish, but we also have players that play with Summerhill. On the senior team at the moment, we might have 10, 11, even more that are dual players between Moynalvey and Summerhill.

“The split season is great for the certainty, but it's hard for dual players in that they're playing week on week, hurling and football.

“You've to work with the other managers, it's okay for us doing that, but it's the players, who're playing a championship game every week which they enjoy. It does take its toll when you're 10, 11 weeks into championship, playing every week.”

On Sunday, though, a county title is the considerable prize on offer. It’s another challenge to embrace.

When a student in Galway, Donoghue managed a Freshers outfit featuring Dara Blake, Barry Cullinane, and Michael Meehan, who were colleagues in the Sigerson success. “That was just the done thing in colleges at the time, it's probably harder for lads now to be able to mix up, to be able to take that on,” he says about the interest in coaching.

“I really enjoyed it, working with lads, it was just good fun. You were working with Freshers, who were away to college for the first time, they're really enjoying themselves - as they should be.

“I'd been taking teams within the club from an earlier age. I was managing an U14 team when I was 16 or 17, it was something I was always really interested in. It probably came a bit from home.

“I was focused on playing very much through my 20s and well into my 30s, but I think I was always going to get back into getting involved in coaching when I did finish playing. I enjoy it. Not every day is easy, but I do enjoy being part of it.”

Valuable lessons were learned in the third level arena, first in the west before switching to UCD. “I loved it, I loved my time in Galway, particularly those formative years, and in UCD, subsequently,” Donoghue reflects.

“I've great memories. Getting that exposure to a different level of competing, meeting lads from different counties, and everyone there.

“It's a transient phase where people are coming and going, but we'd great times. It probably gave me a lot of confidence, moving forward from there.”

Hurling and football are always on the agenda for Donoghue. Still positive, encouraging and leading, Sunday’s Meath derby will be worth monitoring.