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Coulter
speaks of the Sacrifices - 04/06/03
2003
Ulster Football Championship - 1st Round
Down
v Monaghan 
@ 3.30 p.m. Casement Park, Sunday 8th June 2003
Article taken from Irish News - 04/06/2003
 Big
ben: Ahead of Sunday's clash with Monaghan in Casement Park,
Down's Benny Coulter speaks of the sacrifices he has made
this season in order to help his county back to winning
ways. BENNY Coulter turns 21-years-old this Saturday, but
he'll be hoping that his birthday wish doesn't comes true
until the following day in Casement Park when Down meet
Monaghan.
Coulter has been in the Down senior team for four years,
but he has yet to experience a Championship victory. A member
of the minor side which won the All-Ireland title in 1999,
he was called into a Mourne squad which had slid into rapid
decline. The rebuilding job has been handed over to new
manager Paddy O'Rourke, who has been entrusted with the
task of restoring some pride in the famous red and black
jersey.
Coulter admits that he has only "vague" memories of his
manager lifting the Sam Maguire Cup in 1991. Back then,
he was just nine-years-old. His recollections of the success
three years later are almost as scant. "I can't really remember
much about 1991, and about the only thing I can remember
of 1994 was when Gregory McCartan missed the penalty. "I
also remember the game in Celtic Park against Derry when
wee James was playing."
In a bid to get Down back on winning track, manager O'Rourke
has demanded total dedication from the talented Coulter.
"It's the biggest commitment I have ever given to football.
He expects you to be there at training every night of the
week, and there are no excuses. "It's great that everyone
is there every night. We have had 36 boys at training every
night for the past six months, and we've been training three
nights a week since January," he said. The sacrifices Coulter
has made in order to satisfy his manager's strict criteria
are quite incredible. A bricklayer by trade, he has been
working in Dublin all this year, and has traveled from north
to south for every training session.
His regular routine involved a car journey to Dublin which
started at 6.15am. He'd arrive at the site after 8am. On
training nights, his sympathetic employer, Sean Poland allowed
him to leave at 4pm. Poland also happens to be his cousin,
and a "big football man." In a few weeks time, they'll be
quitting work in Dublin, and Coulter says he's looking forward
to spending less time in his Nissan Primera. The physical
labour and long miles have taken their toll. "I don't think
I could go through another season going up and down like
that, definitely not. "There were nights I went to training,
and I was just wrecked. I didn't have much energy."
This week, however, he is expecting an easier time at work.
Apparently his cousin is prepared to lose a few man hours
if it's going to help Down beat Monaghan. "Sean knows the
craic. He'll give me a handy week. I'll just be doing odds
jobs here and there, and patching things up," he explained.
Although he must have experienced some bleak moments during
those solos journeys from Dublin, the mammoth sacrifice
has created some benefits. Coulter emits an air of confidence.
Down are well trained, and he knows it. "The spirit in the
camp is second to none. Everything is going well, and everyone
is happy. "We are definitely better prepared than we have
ever been since I have been on the panel. This year has
been the best year by far."
While Down have gone all out in their preparations, it also
appears that Paddy O'Rourke has taken the traditional route.
There has been no trips to foreign countries. Even firmly
established techniques such as video analysis have been
eschewed. The Down panel has not watched a tape of Monaghan's
victory over Armagh, and they didn't go to watch the match.
"I haven't seen the video," admitted Coulter, "Paddy doesn't
go into that. He is focusing on us, getting us ready. Along
as we're ready, that's the main thing. "Paddy never really
mentioned any of the teams. He was just more focused on
ourselves. Armagh or Monaghan didn't come into it."
Barring Tyrone's win over Derry, the Ulster Championship
has provided a shock in every game. Going by current trends,
Monaghan should be worried. "I am hoping that things will
go well on Sunday. This is my fourth season and I haven't
won a game yet. I feel more confident now than I did a few
years ago. Myself, Mickey Walsh and Liam Doyle were only
18 or 19 when we came in. But the boys are a lot older now,
"We have waited a long time. I'm hoping that this year,
is the year. I have a wee feeling that it might be," said
Coulter.
Twenty-first birthdays tend to be boozy affairs. Benny Coulter
will be more than happy to stay stone cold sober this Saturday,
as long as he has a double celebration on Sunday night.
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