Crowley: We’re doing it for Des

THE toast was absent friends.

Dessie Fitzgerald was missing the greatest day in Charleville’s hurling history yesterday when they won the Cork JAHC title for the first time, but he was on everyone’s mind as he recovers in a Dublin hospital from a serious injury received while playing the game recently.

“This is for Des,” said an emotional TJ Crowley who is the team manager.

“It’s a brilliant victory for us but unfortunately we cannot celebrate it. I’ll be taking the cup and putting it in the boot of my car for the week and try and get the lads to concentrate on the North Cork final next Sunday.

“Winning today will mean nothing if we fail to beat Kildorrery. Today was Mayfield’s county final, it was our semi-final. That was our approach to it. Thankfully we won it but there in one more game to go.

“Looking back on the game we showed a lot of nerves in the opening half, but once the team settled I was confident we would win it. This was for Dessie Fitzgerald. He has been the inspiration behind it.

“I know he was listening in on the game and I’m sure he pucked every ball with us. Hopefully we can complete the job next Sunday and win the county final proper for him.”

Alan O’Connor, who plays his football with Bishopstown, felt it was the team’s defence, which won the game.

“They (the defence) were absolutely brilliant when the pressure came on. Mayfield are a quality side and we knew it was going to one hell of a battle out there, but we always felt that if we could contain them early on that we would be in with a great chance of winning it on the run in.

“Both teams were very evenly matched and it could have gone either way. Mayfield came out of the blocks firing on all cylinders and it took us a long time to get into the game.

“Thankfully we didn’t fall too far behind and that was down to the brilliance of our backs. They have been outstanding all season and again today they came up trumps. I couldn’t say enough about them.

“Dessie Fitzgerald was the heart of out defence all year and they lads really won it for him. He’s an outstanding individual and hopefully he’ll be back playing with us again next year.

“However we have nothing won yet. We play Kildorrery in the North Cork final next Sunday and it could all go belly up on us. We can’t celebrate this win today until next Sunday when hopefully, we win the divisional title.”