Coney feels big game experience stands to his Rock men

By Barry O’Donnell

INVALUABLE experience garnered on the Ulster stage will hopefully stand to Rock this weekend, joint manager Paul Coney believes.

They take on Down champions Rostrevor on Saturday afternoon in Burren, fresh off the back of their breakthrough Tyrone Intermediate title triumph.

It’s a new venture for Rock at this level but the club have experience of Ulster Junior success 2007, 2014 and 2016, the most of any club in Ulster.

“A lot of these boys have already played in the Ulster Club albeit at junior level but they have that experience which is telling in big games,” Coney said.

“Some of them have even played in All-Ireland finals and you could see that this season. They have that bit of tradition of ‘been there done that’ so we will tap into that.

“In the last 10 minutes against Pomeroy, there was no panic when the boys got on the ball. They know how to manage the game. So full credit to them.

“Our message to them at training after the draw was that they had been too cagey, in the first half especially when I suppose there was a bit of nervousness. In the replay we threw off the shackles and went at them.”

Hit the ground

Looking back on Rock’s historic Championship run, Coney felt that they hit the ground running in their opener against Kildress and never really looked back after that.

“We sparkled that night against Kildress but deep down even back then the boys knew that there was a bit more in them.

“I’m not saying we thought back then that we were going to win the championship but once you build up momentum a team can be hard to stop.

“We took plenty of self-belief from that Kildress display and we just grew and grew after that. The lads took confidence from that result and you could see that even at training. I knew we were in a good place after that.”

At the outset of the Tyrone Intermediate Championship the common consensus was that the race was wide open and Coney believed that any side who gained some momentum were likely to be a leading contender for the top prize.

“The big teams had been promoted again last season (Eglish, Clonoe, Coalisland) and that suited us. We were able to come in under the radar,” pointed out.

“Against Kildress we probably weren’t fancied and the same against Greencastle. People were writing us off and it’s brilliant to be in that position because no-one expects you to win.

“Deep down we knew there was quality in this group. I am so pleased the lads were able to do themselves justice in the championship.”