English: They proved point

Having lost three finals, Clyda Rovers faced questions regarding their mental toughness, but they were answered emphatically, according to coach Ned English.

English, who saw his Duhallow side beaten in last year’s senior final, hailed the character displayed by Clyda to ensure that it was them in the winner’s enclosure.

“Well done to those lads out there, warriors every one of them,” he said.

“They stuck to what they were asked to do, heroically and bravely, you couldn’t have asked for more. There was big pressure on them, the previous defeats and all that had had its toll on them.

“It was about dealing with pressure, finals always are, and I’m so just so proud of them.

“It was a fabulous performance and they played no small amount of good football as well. They used the spaces, worked hard, defended when they had to and got some great scores against a gallant Macroom side who put a big press on.

“As I said to some of them afterwards, they’re good enough to come back next year. That’s their target.”

The ability to play at a higher level was never a doubt in English’s mind.

“I said to them before the game, ‘You’re a senior team but you have to earn that right to go up there’.

“We played Clonakilty, a senior team, the other night and played very well against them, we’ve been playing well against a lot of senior teams the last number of weeks.

“We knew that we were good enough but it was just a matter of dealing with the extra pressure that comes with playing in finals.

“We knew they had the ability, knew they had the football, knew they had the legs. The question was whether they had the mental strength and they showed us that they did.”

And he was also quick to congratulate the club and parish as a whole.

“There’s a tremendous amount of positive energy in that club,” he said. “All the way throughout the year, I got huge co-operation.

“There was never a negative word and their club spirit came out today. I’m really proud for the little community down there.”