Match-winner just glad to get over the line
NEWTOWN Blues have shown many qualities over the last two seasons, but rarely have they had to dig so deep for a victory.
With their title slipping away the champions needed leaders, and no-one stood up to the plate more defiantly than Conor Branigan.
The wing forward’s graft and determination yielded the all-important goal, slotted home by Ross Nally and just when a replay seemed to be on the cards, he showed a touch of class and nerves of steel to kick the winning score off his weaker left foot.
But he wasn’t too bothered who kicked the winner just as long as Newtown Blues held on to Joe Ward.
‘It’s some feeling just to win and get the two-in-a-row,’ he said. ‘To kick the winning point does make it bit extra special, but I’m just delighted we got the win, it doesn’t matter who kicked it.’
The Blues looked dead and buried with eight minutes left on the clock but Branigan said you have no option but to keep plugging away and he conceded that experience does count on the final stretch.
‘It was a tough battle, but we knew we had a bit of wind in the second-half, so we just tried to keep our composure, work hard and try to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
‘You try and keep the negatives out, keep working hard and take your scores. You’re not thinking about being five or six points down with 10 minutes left, you just keep playing the game and hope it will turn.
‘Maybe experience played a part. we have lads there, even the minor guys, that are used to winning championship. We’ve been in plenty of championship finals, but for the Naomh Mairtin lads it was their first one and it is going to play a part.
‘They were really on top and I think we were lucky to get in at halftime just six points down. But we knew we were still within touching distance if we just kept kicking our scores. We knew we could pull it back, we have the players and the lads are very fit.’
But as far as the drama and excitement goes this was a new experience for the man-of-the-match and he admitted it was probably the highlight of his career to date.
‘ With 15 minutes to go you probably would have taken the draw. I came off the bench one year and it was a close game, but I’ve never been in a final as dramatic as that. I really enjoyed my first championship win, but to do two-in-a-row and the double with these lads, we’re like brothers, it’s a great feeling.
‘Every one of the lads put it in to pull that back today and the subs we have coming off the bench would start on any other team in the county. It’s a great squad and it shows the work you have to do to just get on the pitch. There are lads knocking at the door like Hugh McGinn and Rob Carr and they can just come in and take your place like that.’
Next up is a home clash with Carlow champions Eire Og on Sunday week, but Branigan insist that will keep for the moment.
‘We’ll enjoy tonight before we start thinking about Leinster,’ he added.
You try and keep the negatives out, keep working hard and take your scores.