Daly want to go all the way

MISSION accomplished and expectations delivered summed up John Fintan Daly’s appraisal of the County IFC triumph.

“It’s a relief to win, many said, it would be easy, far from it, I knew Gabriel Rangers would put it up to us, that’s not idle talk. The outcome was a fair testament to the character the way we fought, five under 19 players were involved, they have stepped in for players who were legends in Croke Park.

“The day was going to come when we would be tested, the outcome showed our resilience. Its not very easy to win every game by 10 points, that doesn’t happen in sport, Gabriel Rangers are a difficult side but our goals were a touch of class,” he said.

Both in creation and execution, the strikes from Eoghan McSweeney and Anthony O’Connor were calculated to put Knocknagree’s name on the Cup but Daly again held the highest regard of the men from Ballydehob.

“What a game, it takes two tango, Gabriels were always capable of lifting their game. I made it my business to go up to Pat Nolan, what a shift, he put in, look at his inspiration,” he said.

Perhaps Knocknagree are building a new empire in what’s become the most rewarding period in the club history yet the manager recalls the lean days from earlier in the current decade.

“Some might talk about three and five year plans, when I came into this set up, there was just one immediate plan, win the next game. The players wanted to get to a Duhallow Final, they hadn’t done so for 10 years.

“My ambition was to get to Croke Park, the players looked at me, I had been involved with Miltown Castlemaine that won an All Ireland. I realised the quality coming through in Knocknagree but the mindset was wrong, last season, we got a lesson from St Finbarrs, we got into the gym and brought young lads into the side,” he said.

What’s transpired is an unprecedented sequence of success for Knocknagree with two county titles in addition to Munster and All Ireland silverware to their credit.

“Our style is putting the foot back into football, we use the ball well, kick well and move from end to end.

“It makes for a serious identity going forward, I want to see Knocknagree go to the highest level possible,” said Daly.

“I’m involved seven years now, initially, it looked as it would be two, the commitment of the Duhallow team from the 1980s and 1990s was legendary but I‘ve to say, I’ve never come across such a group where the commitment, honesty, determination, culture and attitude is evident from 52 games played this year, 120 sessions with never less than thirty togged out.

“Anybody that literally can walk is playing football in Knocknagree,” he said.