Dowling’s All-Ireland warning: “no-one will relish playing us”

MOOREFIELD manager Seamus ‘Sos’ Dowling was bursting with pride, and he had every reason to be.

Moorefield are a club with a proud tradition, going back to the founding of the GAA, and both his father and grandfather were associated with the team. Yesterday in Portlaoise they celebrated a winning debut in the AIB Leinster Club football championship final, emulating the feat of Raheens, who brought the only other title to Kildare back in 1981.

“I played with Kildare (for nearly 20 years) and had great times near the end, but there’s nothing like winning something with your club. You’re back at the basics. It’s bread and butter. It’s great. Hopefully it will lift the county,’’ he said.

Just as opposing manager Stephen Darby acknowledged the cost of having two penalties scored against them, Dowling agreed that the goals scored by Ronan Sweeney in the first half had a significant bearing on the outcome. He wasn’t just delighted that both kicks went in — he was relieved.

“He wasn’t taking penalties that well, even in training, but he got them today. And they helped him to settle into the game. I thought his second-half display was brilliant.’’

Sweeney himself admitted to just a momentary doubt before the first kick, having failed from the penalty spot in two previous games.

“It kind of flashed through my mind for a split-second,’’ he said afterwards. “But, thank God the first one went in and my confidence was up for the second one.’’

Dowling was particularly pleased with the spirit shown by his players, pointing out that he had tried to get them to play with the same passion he showed in his playing days.

“You have to be passionate if you are to be successful. I feel that if I can get that into my players nothing will beat us,’’ he added.

“Rhode were the team with the big names. The bookies had them at 4/9 on and we were 9/4. I have seen these lads from under-14 up, they have won everything. A lot of the Offaly players were saying we hadn’t it, but we knew we had a big game in us.’’

Rhode manager Stephen Darby admitted he wasn’t in a position to offer an opinion on the two penalty awards. On the other hand, he had no doubt about their effect on the game.

“They were the two straws that broke our backs,’’ he commented.

“Going in at half-time we had six scores on the board and they had four. I felt we were in with a great chance. We clawed our way back admirably but at the end of the day I think they deserved their win.

“I have to hand it to them. They moved the ball better and more sensibly.

“The penalties were real sucker punches because they came at a time when we were getting ourselves organised.’’

More generally, he felt his players didn’t apply themselves enough at times, explaining: “Their backs took the ball out very well against the breeze and were able to play six or seven passes without being tackled by our forwards. We didn’t apply enough pressure on them to force them into mistakes. They were able to build from the back right up.’’

Nevertheless, he didn’t offer any criticism, saying that while they came into the final “on the back of a very good win over UCD”, there was no question of complacency.

Ronan Sweeney, meanwhile, feels that Moorefield will take beating.

“I think it’s our team spirit which gets us through. There will be no team in the country that will relish playing us,’’ he said.

“And we won’t fear any team."