The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Doody: we know we’re going to be in for another titanic battle
IT takes every kind of player to make a successful team. If you are lucky, you have a few inter-county stars to lead from the front and inspire their colleagues. Then you have the young guns, the experienced veterans and, of course, the loyal foot-soldiers who are always there, rarely putting a foot wrong and quietly going about their business.
When you look at Na Gaeil, captain Eoin Doody certainly sits comfortably in the latter category. The 29-year-old, who will lead the Tralee men out at Croke Park on Saturday in the All-Ireland Club JFC Final (3.15), has been wearing the green and white of his club at senior level since he was 17 years of age. A significant innings, to say the least.
Doody is naturally delighted that all the hard work up to now, especially in the titanic semi-final victory over Mayo’s Kilmaine, has the opportunity of netting the ultimate reward this coming weekend.
“We’re over the moon to get through the semi-final. We were put to the pin of our collar by Kilmaine. It was a really ferocious battle,” he said.
The reliable, teak-tough defender believes that the perception that Kerry teams have it too easy at junior level was ended by their semi-final classic and that it was his team’s immediate response to the controversial refereeing decision at the end of normal time that led to their extra-time victory.
“Kilmaine were a really good team. I suppose a lot of people would have said that they had a few quality players but they had quality all over the pitch. They also had a very strong bench to come in as well.
“It’s just the nature of the beast really. There might be teams that are weaker but, as the competition goes on, you see the strength coming through. It was a great advertisement for the junior championship really, just to show the quality that’s on show at that level.”
And that call by the referee in Ennis?
“Looking back on it, we can’t really change a decision that the referee makes, so we kind of just got on with it. It was a very, very tough free to put over and, in fairness to Adam Barrett, he stuck it.
“Going in at full time, we just had a chat about a few things that had gone wrong and how could we rectify them. I thought we kind of came out all guns blazing at the start of extra-time. There wasn’t much energy going around the team but we gave it our all.
“We kicked two points in that half whereas they didn’t kick any. Out of the two teams in that first period of extra-time, we probably performed the better. But, saying that, when it came to the second half, they definitely outplayed us.
“I think they won ten kick-outs of our own in a row or something like that. Our backs were right up against the wall but, thankfully, we came through it and managed to hold on.”
Doody, who works as a laboratory analyst in Ringaskiddy in Cork, has paid tribute to the impact of Kerry stars Jack Barry and Diarmuid O’Connor, as well as manager Donal Rooney.
“It’s huge to have the boys. They really drive on the standards, especially over the last few months when we have been able to train with them. How they prepare themselves, how they train at 100 per cent no matter what the time of the year is, that really drives the other players on. Obviously, they are always our top, top performers on the pitch and it’s just brilliant to have them.
“As for Donal, it’s been a goal of ours since he stepped in to get there on All-Ireland Final day and he has been absolutely fantastic.
He has given us every tool imaginable that you would think we need to get to this stage. We are unbelievably thankful to have him there in that position and we are extremely lucky.”
Conceding only 3-6 in three matches in the Munster Championship, the resilience of the Na Gaeil defence went somewhat under the radar. Until Saturday, that is. Restricting Kilmaine to 1-9 over a pulsating 96 minutes of action made people sit up and take notice.
“It feels good but it’s not just about the defence. It starts with our forwards and they’re always brilliant to put pressure on up front. That reduces the quality of ball going into the opposition forwards which makes our jobs a bit easier,” stressed Doody.
“There are top quality defenders there as well. We have Andrew Barry around the middle. He’s kind of more or less been forgotten about as regards Kerry but he has been absolutely fantastic for us. I’m sure that he will be on the radar again before long considering his performances.
“There’s plenty of pedigree in our backs alright and we’re just really looking forward to seeing what’s in store for our defence in
Croke Park.”
Speaking of that challenge, that takes us to Rathgarogue/ Cushinstown. What does the Na Gaeil captain know about the Wexford team?
“We don’t know much about them because that’s the nature of the competition. We have heard a few things, they’ve a bit of inter-county experience, and they’re obviously a really, really high quality side seen as they’ve put paid to two or three highly fancied teams already. We know that we’re going to be in for another titanic battle.”
What of leading Na Gaeil out onto the hallowed surface of Croke Park?
“It’s a big deal. It’s every young fella’s dream to play there but, at the same time, it’s more of a thing where I will look back on it in ten or fifteen years and say what an occasion it was.
“I’m more looking forward to seeing how the team performs on the day and, hopefully, we can more focus on that as opposed to focusing on the venue. That’s the plan really.”
The team comes before everything else for Eoin Doody. Na Gaeil are in safe hands for Saturday with a team captain
like that.