Holmes gets set for Clonduff re-run in Down SFC final

By Niall Gartland

THE last time Burren crossed paths with Clonduff it didn’t exactly go according to plan, but the chastening group stage defeat did force Collie Holmes and his management team to take a forensic look at what went wrong.

Now they stand on the brink of a first Down Senior Championship title since 2018, having plotted the downfall of Kilcoo in the semi-finals. As fate would have it, Clonduff will be sitting in the opposing dugout at Páirc Esler this Sunday afternoon.

Team manager Collie Holmes admits that everything was on the table following their 12-point defeat to Clonduff in the final week of August, and there’s a good argument to be made that it was a blessing in disguise.

“Obviously that’s a huge reference point for us. We were in that game at half-time and afterwards we weren’t.

“A defeat like that stops you in your tracks and you look at everything – warm-ups, training schedules, positional things, everything. Since that, we’ve pushed on and got back to the heights we hit in the first round.”

Burren derailed Kilcoo’s bid for an eighth consecutive Down title in the semi-finals, a surprise result that sent ripples through the GAA community. Sunday’s final will be the first time Kilcoo have been absent from county final day since 2011 – a potentially positive omen for Burren, who lifted the title that year after defeating Clonduff, their opponents again this Sunday.

Reflecting on their seismic win over Kilcoo, Holmes said that the impact of their bench can’t be overstated.

“We sat down with the fellas when we got the fixture and reviewed our previous performances against Kilcoo, and the huge message coming from the players was that we had to match their physical intensity. They’re very direct and very powerful, and we knew in our heart of hearts that we’d have to empty the bench.

“We were able to stay in the game. At one stage they hit four on the bounce straight after half-time. In previous years, we might have ended up 10 points down. That’s the way Kilcoo do business – they put you to the sword. We’re lucky the boys were able to come in and steady the ship, and we kept pushing on.

“It ended up being a three, four or five-point game, but it didn’t feel like that. It was just one or two points that got us over the line, and it was a big thing for the boys.”

Holmes came on board with Burren in a coaching capacity in 2025 before taking on the manager role this year. Another Tyrone man, Lorcan Martin, is also involved, as is Frank Dawson, who has a long association with the club, leading Burren to the 2010 and 2011 titles.

“There’s a lot more to sort out when you’re manager – the backroom team, coaches, S&C and physio – but there’s a good team around and we’re not really hung up on labels.

“It’s a collective effort, and there are boys in the club as well helping with logistics. They’re a good sounding board too. All contributions are valued and appreciated.

“I’ve been living in Eglish for 20 years and Lorcan is an Eglish man so we’ve crossed paths. He’s dipped in with teams I’ve been taking and vice versa. It’s the first time we’ve sat down in the car together and headed off to coach a team. Frank [Dawson] as well gives a whole different perspective. He has a long association with Burren, and he actually won a championship in 2000 with Clonduff!”