'It's a testament to the lad, the way he could even think about playing in an All-Ireland final'

MEANT TO BE: Conor Loftus of Crossmolina Deel Rovers shoots a penalty in the final moments of the All-Ireland Intermediate Club Championship final with Ballinderry. Pic: Tyler Miller, Sportsfile

Crossmolina manager Brian Benson paid tribute to penalty hero Conor Loftus in the aftermath of Sunday’s frantic finale to the All-Ireland Club IFC final.

“The last two or three weeks have been really tough on everyone in the club, very emotional.

“Obviously, you see Conor there, as soon as the game's over, he’s bolted down the tunnel.

“To see him doing that, after winning an All-Ireland at Croke Park, says a lot.

“So while we’re all excited and delighted, our thoughts have to go out to Conor Loftus and his family and the Cryans.

“The fact that he could come out and play for us, we have to acknowledge that.

“The couple of days after Roisin’s funeral, we called into him at his house and he said, “keep training, keep pushing on, keep driving on. Make sure that we’re ready to go whenever the game is played.

"So it’s a testament to the lad, the way he could focus on, or even think about, playing in an All-Ireland Final in the circumstances.” 

Benson also admitted that he had no doubt that Loftus, who won an All-Ireland minor medal with Mayo at Croke Park in 2013, was going to go for goal — and score.

“Not that we got the message on, but we were adamant on the sideline that we go for goal.

“That was the thing, that it was either meant to be or it wasn’t.

“All his life, and especially in the last year or two, Conor’s kicked a good few penalties.

“They usually end up in the back of the net.

“When we got the penalty, I just turned around to [selectors] John [Maughan] and Budgie [Thomas McNulty] and said, ‘It’s either meant to be now or it’s not’.

“It was a defining moment of the year. It was either going to happen or it wasn’t.

“Whatever way it went, it was going to go.” 

Crossmolina’s dreams of All-Ireland glory looked set to be dashed when they went behind after Ballinderry’s late scoring surge put them in the driving seat.

But the likes of Jordan Flynn, the Coggins brothers (whose uncle Colm Kehoe won an All-Ireland SHC medal with Wexford in 1996) and Fionan Duffy stuck to the game-plan.

“We’ve been under the cosh a few times in matches during the year, and it’s testament to this team that they stay at it, they keep at it, and fight until the last minute,” said the manager.

Benson was in Croke Park in 2001 when Crossmolina beat Nemo Rangers by a point to win the All-Ireland senior club championship.

Memories of that win came flooding back on Sunday.

“All I remember is thinking in 2001 was: ‘I’d love to be out there’.

“When I came into the senior panel after we lost the 2003 All-Ireland club final, I thought we were going to be in All-Irelands every single year. But it’s taken us 22 years to get back here.

“It’s been some journey but well worth the wait.”