Eoin Doyle dismisses idea that Naas are budding Leinster powerhouse

Naas’ Eamonn Callaghan with his son Fionn and Eoin Doyle with his daughter Isla after the game. Picture: INPHO/Ryan Byrne

Eoin Doyle’s voice cracked with exhaustion on Saturday as he chewed on defeat.

For 12 months he has been on the road between club and county, his commitments to the former expanded by a first county title in 31 years, a provincial campaign and a mid-season management shuffle that saw him take on the unexpected role of co-manager.

It’s been a punishing if productive load and the attempt to lighten the weight on his shoulders after the loss to Kilmacud Crokes was swiftly rebuffed when it was suggested that Naas, with their 2,800 membership, might use this campaign as a base camp rather than a pinnacle.

“You can point to all that stuff all you want but we’ll go back to Kildare now and there’s going to be 10 teams dying to win the county championship next year. None of the bigger teams will care that we lost a Leinster final here.

“Somebody said to me after the semi-final win here (against Shelmaliers) the last day about being a powerhouse in Leinster and I nearly started laughing. Like, we’ve won one county title in the last 30 years.

“To even attempt to go win another one next year will be a massive effort and commitment because there is going to be no-one in their Kildare that will be quaking in their boots so you can’t look past that.”

There was a rueful smile when the prospect of county duties was put to him.

Kildare got the 2022 campaign underway with an O’Byrne Cup win away to Westmeath earlier that day but Doyle’s sense that a break “might be in order” was understandable.

For Naas, as a club, the 2021 season continues next weekend when their hurlers face Oylegate-Glenbrien of Wexford in the Leinster IHC final.

Two of the footballers, Brian Byrne and James Burke, will be hoping for a better ending then.