McKenna says Clane success as special as any with Kildare
Clane's Paddy McKenna plucks the ball out of the sky with Leixlip's Conor Burke for company.
“I've been fortunate to have success with Kildare and that over the years, but this is definitely up there, if not tops, to win something with your club.”
That was the reaction after full time from Clane captain Paddy McKenna as his side won the Senior B Hurling Championship, beating Leixlip 1-18 to 1-17 thanks to a match-winning point deep inside injury-time.
“It's my first time at that level winning anything with Clane of any significance and it's been unbelievable,” McKenna said.
“We did it the hard way. We had to beat them two or three times to come out on top at the end, but that's credit to them. What a team and what a management they have in John Doran.
“Look, I’m just absolutely thrilled and delighted. It's actually kind of hard to sum up, even though we're at 15-20 minutes after the final whistle, it's still raw. It's great.” The Clanecaptain took the game by the scruff of the neck when he raised Clane’s green flag – a crucial point in the winning of the final.
“I wasn't even meant to be in there,” he said. “I was meant to be roaming around the middle. I was sucking him air through my toenails at that stage, and I was like, I’ll go in for a break.
“It’s just one of those things. You put on the blinkers and you just go for it - nine times out of ten it hits the post or hits the keeper and nothing comes of it. I was just trying to close my eyes and swung out of it and thankfully it went in.”
Clane were five points behind early in the second half, but showed tremendous courage, determination and skill to get back into the game, which McKenna put down to the work the team have done with manager Willie Banks and Chris Bonus before him:
“(Chris Bonus) took this up at the start of the year as Willie was a goalkeeping coach with Kildare and had other commitments. But Willie, since he came in there, and Mikey, there in mid-June and it's been unbelievable. The trust they've put in the players and everything has been phenomenal.
“That came to fruition today. We've been working with Ray Ryan on the mindset sort of things - sports psychology.
“It came to fore today. It really, really helped us.
McKenna also paid tribute to his teammate Dan Colbert, who he said reminds him of Tommy Walsh they way he rises to win the ball.
“Dan's a brilliant club person, be it football or hurling. He's phenomenal,” McKenna said. “He's only 18 or 19. He just did his leaving cert. It's phenomenal. He's ready to go now at that level.
“He's played senior football with Clane this year as well and come on in nearly every game. It's those things that swing it.
"Thankfully, we had a few more big moments than they did. That's what's hung in our favour towards the end.”
