Longford SFC Final: Happy Harkin reflects on the huge resolve the Colmcille side have shown

Harkin is back in a senior football championship title decider, having managed Abbeylara to win the 2006 title.

The landscape of Longford club football has changed hugely in the meantime. The biggest of those changes has undoubtedly been the emergence of St. Columba’s.

In 2006, the Mullinalaghta men were still an intermediate side. Now, they chase a fifth senior title in seven years. Harkin and Colmcille stand in the way.

Colmcille beat St Columba’s in the quarter-final in 2019 and as a result the reigning champions don’t carry the same aura that they would against some other clubs.

“Colmcille beat Mullinalaghta a few years ago, so our lads are not in awe of them,” Harkin explains.

“We aspire to the standards that Mullinalaghta have set,” he added.

Reflecting on the campaign so far this year for Colmcille, the manager mentions the resolve that is in his side this year.

“We came from behind to beat Mostrim, having conceded three soft goals. We showed huge resolve in that game. Maybe the lads wouldn’t have achieved that a few years ago,” he stated.

“Against Longford Slashers in the semi-final, we got most things right,” he added.

16 years on from that success with Abbeylara, when an early Niall Sheridan goal paved the way for victory over Longford Slashers, football has changed. Or has it?

“It hasn’t really changed. You must win your own ball. You must score and you need to defend,” he stated.

However, Harkin admits that players are more educated now and they look for more feedback.

“Young lads want information. Many of them are in college now. There is more science now in football. Kickouts have also changed a lot. When you win the ball from the kickout now, it is more important,” he commented.

Colmcille had to beat Slashers without one of their key players, Barry McKeon.

Harkin doesn’t expect that the 2010 Leinster minor winner will play a part in the decider.

“Barry has a hamstring injury and he is very doubtful to feature in the final,” he said.

“However, we had to play most of the season without Paul McKeon and Dylan McCabe (also both injured). You just have to get on with it,” he commented.

Colmcille will have the evergreen Declan Reilly playing on the day. The 38 year old, one of Longford’s best footballers of recent decades, continues to play to a high standard.

“Declan looks after himself. He applies himself very well,” the manager says of the veteran.

There are two other vastly experienced players in the Colmcille set up, goalkeeper Noel Farrell (previously an excellent defender) and Padraig Murtagh, who came on as a sub against Slashers.

“Noel and Podgie trained many of the younger lads on the current senior team when they were underage,” Harkin remarked.