Dean insists Leinster win was for Conor

AN emotional Dean Maguire still had the wherewithal behind his glassy gaze to honour his lost friend Conor Morgan.

Although from a different club entirely, Maguire felt the Gaels man kicking every ball with him and he dedicated Young Irelands Leinster triumph to him.

‘I suppose this whole year, I think the league sort of was for the Management after last year, the junior championship was for ourselves but today me personally that was for Conor Morgan, for myself and Jordan, Derek and Cian that was for Conor Morgan.’

‘I remember it wasn’t long after he passed in June, we were talking about it and myself, Jordan and Derek got together and a few drinks later the three of us said this year is going to be for him and he kicked every ball with us out there today and that was for him today.’

Every ball Maguire touched on the day was significant as he was a constant threat and the way the final was slipping against his side, he had to be.

‘Thankfully it worked today,’ he smiled.

‘Putting up 2-10 with the way we play, but all year the defenders have pulled us through everything so it is about time that we repaid them.

Maguire was safe in the knowledge that once the supply was there he was ready to do damage notching two points in either half.

‘We knew that they were going to be cynical, we knew that once we got the ball in quick and we ran at them that they were going to be worried about it and I was just lucky enough myself that the balls coming in were fantastic.’

‘They were, they were second to none into the space the whole time and very easy to pick up and then I suppose I do what I’ve done for the last couple of years just try and run past the man!’

Maguire didn’t look as nervous as his teammates and he revealed his novel approach to dealing with showpiece nerves.

‘Myself I tried to think of today as an All-Ireland quarter final rather than a Leinster final because you know the way finals come about and I suppose my mentality to finals wouldn’t be the best.’

Regardless of any mental approach the games defining sequence of events had everyone on the edge of their seat but Maguire’s belief was unequivocal

‘Last ten minutes there I always knew we had a bit more left in the tank. I knew they were on the ropes but I was just wondering whether it was going to be our day or not and luckily enough the right man popped up.’

The right man was Aidan Sheekey and Maguire conceded that the point was the safest option.

‘I don’t think Aidan Sheekey is the type of man that would have took the safe option throughout his whole life. Tremendous finish!

‘I don’t think I would have stuck in the net myself from there. I would have took it on anyway, but Jesus Christ it was some effort but that’s what Aidan has in his locker.’