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"A Great Win” - Fergal O’Donnell

Wednesday, 21 July 2010

ROSCOMMON manager Fergal O'Donnell was understandably in a good mood as he spoke to the assembled media following Roscommon's Connacht final success. He was first asked to give his impressions on his side's first Connacht title in nearly ten years.
"Its a great win especially coming from where we were. It has been a very difficult year I have to say that. The league was very disappointing and the last time we played Sligo in the league we lost by seven points so the end of the league was disappointing. But we set out our stall after the Wexford game. We knew that we had eight weeks to get ready before the London game and we trained hard after the Wexford game and when we played Clare in a challenge on the first of May that was when we said that's our target. We needed to get a win and we beat Clare and we beat Longford and that gave us confidence."
He also spoke of his delight for the players, especially those who had served the county for some time.
“I am delighted for the lads, especially the older lads, a lot of the younger lads have won at Under 21 junior and minor but for the older lads. Karol Mannion's catch at 13-all; John Dunning came on and won the free. That's what impressed me. When Sligo got on a roll you would have said they were going to go on and win it or else it would go to a replay. This was our day, it was set up nicely for us, we were in under the radar and this was the day to do it. When you get your chance you have to take it. I don't mind if we are the Wimbledon of Connacht, we are delighted to have the Nestor Cup I'm telling you!"
He agreed that it was some turn around compared to the hammering that they got at the hands of Mayo last year.
"Well, the thing was that twelve months ago we were naive ourselves and we played against the breeze which was a major mistake. You learn from all the big games and who would have thought that we would be here and Mayo would not. But the reality is that Mayo and Galway will be back and stronger than ever so today was our chance and we took our chance. I was just disappointed before and after half time, they are the areas that we have to improve on. There will be bigger tests coming up against us and I suppose we were lucky with the start and we started well. I thought the whole team worked hard and I thought our defenders were very good without fouling. There were a few decisions that I felt were harsh. I don't think we got any lucky breaks. I think we just about deserved it"
Would he agree that there was still work to be done ahead of the All-Ireland quarter final?
“ Of course there is loads of work to be done but it's a great complaint. The only thing is that there would have been temptation there to use the likes of Senan Kilbride but you saw the ferocity there. You have to be seriously fit to play at this level. But the big thing is that we have to regroup. Obviously with a small county like Roscommon we do tend to over celebrate these successes. But fellas have to get their feet back on the ground because the next day, we won't be under the radar as much. Obviously we wont be going in as favourites but we don't want to go up to Croke Park and get a trimming either. The way for this year is to go out there and give a good performance because if you get a good performance the result will look after itself."
"There was a belief there" - Finneran
FOR midfielder Michael Finneran, this was a day to remember as he picked up his first ever Connacht senior football championship medal. Did he think that the game would slip away from them when Sligo came back?
“I didn't to be honest with you. I know the crowd got on top of them and they got it back level and it probably looked a bit dangerous. I don't know but for some reason there was a huge belief in the dressing room today. I felt it out on the pitch even when they tied the game I could even picture us going up and getting the winning point. I couldn't explain it but there was a big belief there."
He also had a word for Donie Shine who kicked ten points.
“He is unbelievable. What could you say? Any team would love to have him. Everyone on the pitch just gave it everything and it just paid off in the end. We are eight years waiting for this and we are just delighted." "Outstanding" - McDermott
AS he stood in the tunnel following Roscommon's win, Sean McDermott was one of the most relaxed as anyone there. He gave his reaction to Roscommon's win.
“It is outstanding. I am absolutely delighted. I always said there was potential in this team and today we showed it. Sligo was coming into this as favourites. We were not reading the script and we took just took it a game at a time and things went our way today and we are delighted."
Roscommon played very well in the first half but did he feel that Sligo was coming back into the game?
“I knew it was going to come down to the wire. We had a strong breeze in the first half and we made it count to be fair and Sligo probably did not make it count as much as we did and that was the difference.'
He also spoke of the spirit that the team.
“Absolutely. We never had any doubt that we were good enough to do it. Look, when we seen the draw this year, we said that we were taking it one game at a time but we knew we were going to be in the Connacht final and it was just about putting it together."
"Brilliant Win" - Shine
TEN point hero Donie Shine was just after giving his jersey to a little girl before speaking to the media. He gave his reaction.
“Brilliant win. We are absolutely delighted. There was a tremendous belief in the panel and we are just delighted to have won the game."
“I suppose we got off to a flyer. We got the early points and we got ahead and thankfully we held on."
He also agreed that the team had been improving all the time after what was a bad league campaign for Roscommon.
“London is a tough team to play against. It had been a bad league campaign. I suppose the panel just got stronger as the year went on as well. You have the likes of Senan Kilbride back in the panel as well. We did lose Mark O'Carroll and we have had our few losses but I think the panel has strengthened overall and we are just delighted."
One last question. What does it mean to win a Connacht senior football title?
“Absolutely everything. Brilliant."

"Unbelievable" - Ger Heneghan
GER HENEGHAN returned to the panel following a year out and as he spoke to the media in the bowels of McHale Park. He struggled to find the words to sum up just how big this win was for Roscommon.
“It is unbelievable. We came down and you are hoping against hope really. The management are trying to make you believe that you have a chance but after watching Sligo all this summer there is always a little doubt in the back of you mind and then to get the start we did, our belief just grew and grew and we just worked our way into the game and even at the final whistle there I think we were the team working hard and it was pure absolute desperation to win that got us over the line. Sligo came back as I knew they would but just the work rate. We kept sticking to the game plan and we got over the line."
He also paid tribute to team mate Geoffrey Claffey for his save and to Sean McDermott for his performance.
“Seanie kept David Kelly wrapped up. I don't know if Kelly scored but all the talk was about him coming into the game. Anyone that knows anything about Roscommon football knows that Seanie is as good as anyone. Then we had Jeff. Not only the save but also the amount of high balls that he caught. The belief came from there."
Finally what does it mean to win a Connacht senior football championship?
It is unreal. The scenes there at the end. To other counties it may seem over the top but to Roscommon after eight or nine years it is an outpouring of emotion. It has not sunk in at all. We are in there and we are celebrating but it wont really hit us for the next couple of days. We are still in the championship and there is no point throwing a years work away. We will give it our best shot."

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