DRAMATIC LEINSTER FINAL HERO MURNAGHAN
from 45 metres to the left only for veteran Ronan Sweeney to keep it alive by punching it inadvertently into Murnaghan’s path in front of goal.
“I was actually surprised Eanna dropped it short,” said Murnaghan.
“Normally Eanna wouldn’t drop it short. I saw Roly Sweeney there, I knew he was going to hit it back in.
“Lucky enough I was there. It bounced towards me and I actually thought, ‘Goal!’ but I said, ‘No, I’ll play it safe’. So I turned and kicked it over the bar. It was probably the right thing to do.
“I was surprised I had that much space that late in the game. I was surprised.”
Sweeney was central to the victory having netted the goal just minutes earlier that really ignited the comeback.
At 37, it was just his second full game of the season as his club commitments took a back seat to his role on the Kildare management team for much of the year.
“He wasn’t really around much with us at the start of the year because he was in with Kildare. But every time he talks you just listen to everything he has to say,” Murnaghan beamed.
“He just has that intelligence and this aura about him that lifts the whole team. What a man, like. What a man.”
Against the odds victories have become a Moorefield trademark, having won the county final against Celbridge despite having two players sent off in the first half, while they also pulled off a smash and grab raid on Portlaoise in the Leinster quarter-final.
But Murnaghan was struggling for examples to rival Sunday’s turnaround.
“I think Sarsfields in the county final a couple of years ago, I think we were down by eight points at one stage and got back to draw and won the replay then.
“So we’re kind of used to it. But we always have the attitude of we’ll just keep going until the end no matter how much we’re down. Something might lift us.”
The former Kildare player admitted to having some sympathy for St Loman’s, with the Mullingar outfit on course for a historic win after Ronan O’toole’s goal with six minutes remaining put them six up.
“I feel sorry for Loman’s. It’s a bit of a killer. To be six points up.they must be hurting.”
Next up for Moorefield is an All-ireland semi-final against Corofin or Fulham
Irish on February 17 as they bid to become the first Kildare club to reach the decider.
Murnaghan added:
“We’ll just enjoy this. The last few years we’ve been settling for county titles but
Ross [Glavin, manager], from the start of the year, got it in our heads – Leinster and then an All-ireland.
“We weren’t cocky or anything. We were just confident in our lads.”