'My career has been one of adversity. I work best with that'

Cooney has started two of Ulster's four games this season with Nathan Doak filling the nine jersey in the other two

United Rugby Championship: Ulster v Ospreys

Venue: Kingspan Stadium, Belfast Date: Friday, 18 October Kick-off: 19:35 BST

Coverage: Live audio and text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app; highlights on BBC Sport website and app.

Bad memories in sport have a tendency to linger and that is no different for John Cooney.

After 13 years in professional rugby, he has his fair share.

Cooney of course has achieved a great deal, notably a Pro14 (as it was known then) title with Connacht and inclusion in the United Rugby Championship team of the year no fewer than five times.

Freshest in the Dublin-born scrum-half's memory, though, is his starring role in Ulster's 32-27 win over Connacht on Saturday. In his second run-out of the season, Cooney directly contributed 12 points - including his second try in as many games - and was named man of the match.

But the ease with which he rattles through the hard times suggests he likes to keep those memories in mind as a form of motivation.

He specifically mentions a few - being dropped from the Ireland Under-20s and getting replaced at half-time on his Leinster debut - but those he doesn't namecheck are worth noting too, including being dropped for Ulster's Pro14 final in 2020 and losing his place in the Ireland squad.

There was also the nadir of March's defeat by the Sharks, after which Cooney's unsparing facility for self-assessment even led him to question his own abilities.

"My whole career has been one of adversity and I work best with that," says Cooney.

"That's what drives me every day to improve. I like that and it works for me.

"Sometimes I have to come up with a way to motivate [myself]. I don't like being told I'm doing really well sometimes, I like to have that grit in my teeth. That's the way I am and maybe that's how we [Ulster] are driven at the moment, to prove people wrong."

'I can't accept being a squad player'

Whether he likes to hear - or read - it, Cooney has in fact been doing really well.

His continued high level of output means he is still one of Ulster's key players and a bonafide darling of the Ravenhill faithful.

In recent seasons, he has faced stiff competition from Nathan Doak for the number nine jersey. Cooney may be 34 - 12 years Doak's senior - but he bristles at the word 'veteran' and his thoughts on the idea of taking a backseat are a stark declaration that he feels he has plenty left to give.

"I'm not the type of player who can accept being a squad player," says Cooney, who has started 122 of his 144 appearances for Ulster.

"It's just not in me. I'm too competitive, I'm too into training and the physical aspects of rugby. I like playing for this team and playing as much as I can.

"I don't like being rotated, I don't like not playing. That's just the way I am as a person. I want to be playing every game. I feel great physically and I want to maximise everything I can do."

He added: "The day when I sit in the background and accept that is probably the time I'll stop playing rugby. But I do always try to work with the younger players. Me and Doaky work all the time together on days off. We do our passing and kicking and the best I can be is always going to push him to be better, same with Shanners [Dave Shanahan]."

Cooney has worked with Murphy throughout his career, including during his time in the Ireland squad

For Cooney - like for so many at Ulster - recent months have brought challenges and changes.

Billy Burns' departure to Munster saw Cooney lose a long-time half-back partner but the scrum-half has quickly struck up an effective understanding with Aidan Morgan, who he will partner for a third time against Ospreys on Friday.

He has also relished the opportunity to once again work under Richie Murphy, a coach he has known for half his life.

"He knows me probably better than any other player in the squad," says Cooney.

"I've worked with him my whole career, he brought me up through the academy in Leinster and worked with me through Ireland.

"He knows exactly how I should play, what I'm good at, what gets me wound up, what motivates me and it's kind of easy [for him] to press my buttons sometimes. I've enjoyed working with him."