Celbridge's McDermott lauds charges after semi-final win 

Celbridge manager Micheál McDermott declared himself “absolutely wrecked” after a “real, hard, championship game, no quarter given”, and lauded the leaders within his team for the extra-time surge that eventually took them part Sarsfields.

“The one thing about this group, there’s fantastic leaders within the group. We had to say very little (before extra time) because you had very little time to get them going. We knew we had left it behind. We knew we were going to be in a battle. We were hoping to win the toss and get the wind again so we could get ahead. We knew if we got ahead we’d hold it and that’s the way it ended up. Fantastic leaders, the likes of Mick O’Grady and Hughie McGrillen, Fergal Conway, Shane McNamara, Paddy Brophy. All these lads have been around for so long and the club means so much to them.” 

Their defensive work particularly pleased him.

“When we did get ahead, when it was in the melting pot, we held our discipline and we defended as a team, really, really well. Any shots that they got off, they were under a lot of pressure. We knew they had quality kickers and quality forwards and especially when they had the wind in the second period of extra time it was vital that we held our discipline, didn’t give away the frees and put the pressure on when they were kicking.” 

Attention now turns to a second successive County Final after last year’s disappointment, the difference of course being that it will be back in St Conleth’s Park.

“There’ll be a massive crowd there, because of the occasion, the opening of the pitch and stand. The occasion will really not matter, it’s not the occasion that we’re going in for. We’ll be going in there to try our best and to give our best performance. If that gets us over the line so be it.”