Eamonn Coleman

Coleman was manager of the Kildress team that won the 1978 Tyrone Intermediate Football Championship.

In 1983 he led Derry to success in the Ulster Minor Football Championship and All-Ireland Minor Football Championship. Four of this team would be in his senior winning panel ten years later. He added a second Ulster Minor Football Championship a year later.

He led Derry U-21s to the 1985 Ulster Under-21 Football Championship.

In the late 1980s Coleman was a key figure in the UUJ Sigerson Cup breakthrough team. Along with Belfast man Charlie Sweeney, "wee Eamonn" steered Jordanstown to inter-varsity wins in 1986 and 1987. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/6731599.stm BBC] ] The team featured Dermot McNicholl and Enda Gormley, who would both be part of Derry's 1993 All-Ireland winning side.

He then emigrated to England to look for work. He managed the Round Tower's club that won the London Senior Football Championship. In November 1990 Derry were managerless and the Derry County Board rang Coleman and asked him to return home to manage Derry. When he took on the Derry job, the team was languishing in Division 3 of the National Football League. After consecutive promotions, he achieved his first national trophy as Derry senior manager by winning the NFL in 1992. [ [http://www.rte.ie/sport/2007/0611/colemane.html RTE] ] Anthony Tohill scored a late winning goal for Derry in a two point victory over neighbours Tyrone.

The following year Coleman later guided Derry to their biggest ever year. After beating Donegal in the Ulster Senior Football Championship, he led Derry to success in the 1993 All-Ireland Championship, beating Cork in the final 1-14 (17 points) to 2-08 (14 points). [ [http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/sport/gaelic-football/article2647136.ece "Belfast Telegraph" "Former Derry manager Coleman dies after long illness" June 12 2007] ] Fergal P McCusker who won on the All-Ireland winning Derry side said "The Derry team would not have been brought together without his skills. He stitched a bunch of guys together and we would have went through brick walls. We'd have done anything for him. He was the man that inspired you to go that extra yard".

His son Gary, also featured in the 1993 Derry team and won an All-Star for his performances. Despite his success with Derry in 1993, he was removed as the manager in 1994 after a loss against Down, a game in which was described by many as the greatest match of all time. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/6745795.stm Gaelic Great] ] GAA journalist John Haughey described the Derry Board's decision to sack Coleman as "both disgraceful and shortsighted". many claim if he had been allowed to remain, Derry won have won at least one more All-Ireland in the mid-1990s. He was replaced by Mickey Moran.

Following a brief flirtation with Longford in the mid-1990s, Coleman drifted into club management in County Cavan. He led Cavan club side Gowna to five Cavan Senior Football Championship successes; in 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2002."Playing experience paid off to give Derry GAA its finest hour, Séamus McKinney, "The Irish News", June 12 2007, p. 5]

Coleman replaced former Dublin footballer Brian Mullins as Derry manager in late-1998 and steered Derry to another National League title in 2000. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/6731599.stm BBC] ]

Coleman won Personality of the Year at the 2001 Ulster GAA Writer's Association Awards [cite web |url=http://www.ulstergaawriters.com/2001a.htm |title=Ulster GAA Writer's Association Awards - 2001|accessdate=2007-09-11 |format= |work= ] , having previously won the award in 1993 [cite web |url=http://www.ulstergaawriters.com/1993a.htm |title=Ulster GAA Writer's Association Awards - 1993|accessdate=2007-09-11 |format= |work= ] .

Coleman then became manager of Cavan, but was forced to stand down in 2005, after becoming ill. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/6731599.stm Former Derry manager Coleman dies] ] In 2005 he led Cavan Under 21s to the Ulster Under 21 Championship final, [cite news |first=Kenny |last=Archer |title=New look Orchard jump into unknown |url=http://www.irishnews.com/searchlog.asp?reason=denied_empty&script_name=/pageacc.asp&path_info=/pageacc.asp&tser1=ser&par=ben&sid=485708 |work=The Irish News |publisher= |date=205-04-01 |accessdate=2008-06-09 ] but they were defeated by Down.

Despite going through chemotherapy at the time, Coleman came into the Derry dressing room before Derry's opening game of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 2006 against All-Ireland champions Tyrone. Joe Brolly said "He delivered a thundering oration and with all the Derry boys, the hairs were standing up on the back of the necks. It was a genuinely motivational speech and to think that just a year on, he's gone. It's very distressing." [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/6743965.stm BBC] ] Derry went on to beat Tyrone comfortably.

Death

Eamonn Coleman died on June 11 2007 after a long battle with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, aged 59.

1958 Texaco Footballer of the Year Jim McKeever described Coleman as a "very significant figure in football in Ireland". ["Derry gaels won't forget genuine article Coleman, Paddy Heaney, "The Irish News", June 19 2007, p. 47] Monaghan manager Martin McElkennon, who was coach with Coleman with Cavan and in his second term at Derry said "Eamonn Coleman was a one-off. I would have trusted him with my life"."A true Derry legend, Brendan Crossan and Paddy Heaney, "The Irish News", June 12 2007, p. 52]

Memorial match

A memorial match between the 1993 Derry team and a rest of Ireland select has been organised for 7th June 2008 in St. Trea's Ballymaguigan. It is to honour Coleman's memory and raise money for five charities. An post-match dinner will also help raise money with 64 tables of ten, eaching costing £1,000 each. [cite news |first=Dermot |last=Crowe |title= Coleman's enduring legacy|url=http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/colemans-enduring-legacy-1393731.html |work=Irish Independent |publisher= |date=2008-06-01 |accessdate=2008-06-02 ]

References

External links

* [http://ie.setanta.com/portal/article/gaa?open&articleid=53bac63d7ca3f293802572f90056d43e Nicky Brennan Mourns the Death of Coleman]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/6743965.stm Former player Brolly pays tribute to Coleman]
* [http://www.derrygaa.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=216&Itemid=103 Derry GAA Website Tribute]