McKe nny hails super St Mary’s

ARDEE’S Donal McKenny was laid out aghast on the Gaelic Ground turf seconds after the final whistle.

His legs had cramped and he was being tended to, but relief was all that was etched over the centre back’s face.

‘They put it up to us in the first half,’ he said and then went on to explain exactly where the game was won well beyond the field of play.

‘All the training, the fitness, the pre-season stood to us there in the second half when we came out on top.’

Overwhelming favourites, the Mary’s found themselves on the back foot, falling six points down after the opening quarter of an hour.

‘We weren’t expecting it,’ McKenny replied with sheer honesty.

The Mochta’s made up the bulk of the amalgamation along with the Bride’s and McKenny felt that the Louth Village men’s intermediate success a week previous gave them that early confidence.

‘They were very hungry and I’d say the win last week made them even hungrier for the double.’

Panic duly set in for the reigning champions McKenny admitted, but not enough to put them off course. ‘Individuals were panicking in our own heads, we didn’t share it amongst the team. We all kind of panicked inside but we fought through to the end.’

There was no need for harsh words in the dressing rooms under the stand, this bunch know themselves at this stage. ‘We don’t like harsh words,’ he revealed.

‘We don’t deal with them too well, cope well with them. We get a bit headstrong with them. We just have to fight to the end, that’s all that was really said.’