Inspiration to succeed will come from within
DUNDALK Young Irelands will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of Geraldines and Sean O’Mahony’s on Saturday afternoon when they host St Brigid’s in the Leinster Junior Championship final in Drogheda, but defender Peter McCourt insists that the inspiration will come from within.
‘We focus on ourselves to be honest,’ he says. ‘Adrian has us believing we can win an All-Ireland if we really want it, so that’s where we get our focus and inspiration from.
‘This was the goal from the start of the year. We had to re-group after such a bad season, but we sort of knew we were better than we showed and that we had the players to win a junior and go on from there.
‘It’s new territory for us but you have to take it as it comes. We couldn’t afford to lose any games this year in the league so that’s probably stood to us in the championships and now in Leinster.’
Peter is in no doubt that the Irelanders will have to produce their very best form to prevail against the Offaly champions.
‘Earlier in the season we had big league games against St Kevin’s and Na Piarsaigh and we played very well in both games. In the championship the performances probably weren’t as good but we were getting over the line and getting the results. In the Laois game we played really well, our forwards really fired that day and in the backs we didn’t have a whole lot to do.
‘We’re at the highest level now so you have to expect that the games are going to be close and you might fall behind, but you have to stick at it. The games are tougher and tighter and you don’t get the scorelines that we were putting up earlier in the season. The ground doesn’t make things
any easier either our forwards would like it firmer.’
But it’s been at the back that the Irelanders have arguably been at their best this season, proving particularly hard to break down.
‘We don’t conceded a whole lot and we don’t concede goals, so when the forwards are doing their bit and the defence is good and tight, you can’t ask for much more.
‘We’ve the likes of Ciaran Murray and Mark Savage keeping us on our toes and keeping things organised, so I think it’s a structured unit and it seems to be working.
Once again Saturday’s clash is a journey into the unknown, but Peter knows St Brigid’s will pose a potent threat.
‘Like us they’ve played every game on the way here with no byes and they’re winning games. It can be hard enough to get information on teams so I think you’re just better off concentrating on ourselves.’