John O'Shea, who led Coláiste Choilm to All-Ireland glory, looks back on magical season

TEN years ago last Friday to be precise, Coláiste Choilm of Ballincollig were celebrating in Croke Park after famously winning the All-Ireland football title.

They defeated a fancied St Aidan’s side who were just around the corner from GAA HQ.

Coláiste Choilm’s 1-11 to 1-10 success that day in the All-Ireland senior B football decider just about summed up their campaign like no other. A match that put everyone through the mill, but had the composure to see it out. The team a few months beforehand won the Simcox Cup for only a second time, and the Muskerry outfit also claimed Munster glory.

The manager at the time, John O’Shea, takes up the story as he reflects on the campaign. 

“The All-Ireland success feels like only yesterday,” the Kerry native said.

“I’ll always remember there was a fantastic build-up to the final. It was new ground for us. The whole school and clubs rowed in behind us. The lads were just an incredible crop of players. There were times when we were dead and buried but just dug it out. Even before the final, not many people gave us much hope, but we said that we would give it a go.

“The decision not to enter a Corn Uí Mhuirí team at the start of the season probably worked out in the end. In hindsight, if we realised what we had, we would have been involved in it, but to be fair I was only in the door as manager and I felt we weren’t ready for it. We started training on the astro in the school and it just grew from there.” 

Coláiste Choilm were a sleeping giant of schools GAA, but expectations weren’t particularly high coming into the 2013/14 campaign. It was expected to be another season of disappointment for the senior footballers.

“That team had won nothing with the school up until that season,” the Éire Óg club man says.

“But, as time went on in the campaign you could see them maturing and getting better and better and that’s a reflection on the clubs really. I must say, out of all my time involved with teams, this group was the most focused, driven and committed group that I ever encountered. They blended so well, they never saw defeat. There was one game in particular in the season against Kenmare in the Munster semi-final that stands out above the rest. We were down 10 points at half-time, but we were convinced we would win the game in the dressing room at the break and we did.

“Winning the Simcox Cup for only the second time and then to go on and win Munster after victory over Hamilton High School Bandon after a replay was just incredible. Two great games under the lights in Cloughduv. Every game we played was tight, so it showed the character that the players had to be constantly on the right side of the result.” 

Coláiste Choilm made it to Croke Park on the back of defeating Galway’s Mountbellew despite being down the guts of 10 points early in the first half but they turned it around to win by a point. A huge shot in the arm as they headed for the big house above in Dublin for the All-Ireland decider.

“The All-Ireland final will always be known as the Declan Hyland show,” O’Shea laughs.

“Declan was just on the pitch and he scored a goal 10 minutes from time and that pushed us three points clear. We managed to win by a point so that was a crucial score. The team was very focused, some great leaders. They trained very hard and I was so happy for them when we got over the line. It was unbelievable. To play in Croke Park was the stuff of dreams for the lads. Everyone that came into the panel bought into it and gave full commitment and it paid off.” 

That All-Ireland success was supposed to have been a turning point for the school. A sleeping giant of schools GAA. But, the past decade hasn’t gone according to plan. O’Shea is hopeful for the future though.

“Look, Ballincollig has the two schools, with Ballincollig Community School at the other end of the Village. Coláiste Choilm is involved in over 20 sports. A lot of teams that we come across in football, they would solely focus on football. We wouldn’t have that. We would be disappointed with the last 10 years. You would expect better. We should be more of a force.

“The last three years has been very poor. We did reach the Corn Uí Mhuirí quarter-final in 2020, but that’s as good as it has got since 2014. Look, I am always optimistic, the clubs will always produce very good underage players. Schools GAA fluctuates from season to season. I would always be confident that there will be another team like the 2013/14 one that will write their own history.” O’Shea concluded.