Newmarket selector Donal O’Sullivan: 'Lads stepped up to the plate all year'

Newmarket players celebrate after defeating Kanturk in the Bon Secours Cork PIFC final at Pairc Ui Chaoimh. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Newmarket selector Donal O’Sullivan paid tribute to injured midfielder Tim Murphy at the final whistle of Sunday's Premier IFC final.

Newmarket overcame Kanturk in dramatic style but had to do so without Murphy.

“Tim did his cruciate in a challenge we had in Kerry two weeks ago after the Cill Na Martra game.

“I’m devastated for him because he’s such a club man, he’s the secretary of the club for the last few years. He’s 34 and probably in the twilight of his career but he worked so hard the last couple of years to get himself in shape.

“When he got back on the team he was a pivotal player for us — a big strong man, which we needed against those huge Walshes in midfield. Tim would be as big in size as them but unfortunately we lost him.

“Again, that’s what happened all year. Lads stepped up to the plate all year, and Darren O’Keeffe stepped up for Tim and was absolutely outstanding today.”

O’Sullivan acknowledged he and the management’s concern with their lack of scores in the third quarter of the game: “It was something we discussed, we kept making changes but they just weren’t coming.

Newmarket selector Donal O'Sullivan. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

“We dropped three or four short, we dropped three or four into the goalkeeper’s hands in the first half as well.

“We chatted to them about it but we kept putting them wide or dropping them short. They came at the right time, thank God.”

O’Sullivan said he and the team had “no issues” coming in as underdogs: “We played phenomenal football against Naomh Abán and Cill Na Martra, who would have been among the favourites to win the whole thing at one stage.

“But we had no issue coming in as underdogs, it’s probably where we wanted to be. We had a quiet start to the group stages but in the second half of the championship we showed what a good footballing side we were. We might not have gotten a lot of credit for it but that was motivation for the boys as well.”

Credit was due to physical trainer Niall McIntyre also, he added: “I have to compliment Niall, our physical coach, he has these boys hopping fit.

“Even going into injury time the pace at which they were moving the ball, in the last three or four minutes — to still have that in their reserves after such a dogfight was unbelievable.

“It was probably as fast as we were moving the ball in the first half, but they dug something down out of the pit of their bellies, I don’t know where they got it, but we got exceptional scores in the last five minutes. That’s down to how fit Niall has them.”