ROSS GLAVIN ENDED up the victorious manager in Portlaoise yesterday but the Moorefield boss had no qualms admitting that he was bracing himself for defeat in the finale of this Leinster football decider at O’Moore Park.
Staring at a five-point deficit entering injury-time, the Kildare club conjured up a miraculous revival as they notched 1-3 in the closing stages to clinch a remarkable victory against St Loman’s.
Glavin admitted their prospects of victory looked remote late on but a side that won the Kildare county final this year despite having two players sent-off could always be relied on to keep pressing until the finish.
“It looked dead and buried, let’s call a spade a spade. But one thing that the group of players have is a belief and a never-say-die attitude.
“I know it’s easy saying that now but it’s no coincidence. It’s not the first time we’ve won games like this. The Portlaoise game, even though it was a lot tighter and less scoring, it still kind of looked like maybe a step too far but, again, they never gave up.
“They’re some bunch of players, aren’t they? We showed the resilience we had throughout the year.
“I keep using that word but the county final with two players down, captain and vice-captain down, and we proved that day that we can win with whatever group of players we have on the pitch. We’ve got a great spirit and that was evident again today.”
Moorefield’s comeback was aided by their Westmeath opponents losing control at a crucial stage.
“I think they lost their discipline in the last eight minutes,” stated Glavin.
“Their game management at that stage probably was poor even though it was immaculate for the first 25 minutes of the second half.
“They lost their discipline and in sport momentum is massive and they had it for most of the half and when they lost it and we got it then it looked like we were going to come back, particularly after the goal.”
Success propels Moorefield towards the All-Ireland series for only the second time in the club’s history.
A decade ago Glavin was a midfield stalwart on a team that lost out to Dr Crokes after a replay. Now he will be the man charged with priming his team for February’s date with Corofin or Fulham Irish.
“We won it such a long time ago to be honest with you I forget the whole occasion and everything to do with it so it’s about time that Moorefield have come back to this stage.
“It goes back to a belief and a peer pressure within the group of players and it’s been the players that were speaking about that more than us and they’re probably sick of under-achieving.
“You hear some people coming out saying there’s only a certain amount of clubs in Ireland can win provincial titles but at this time of the year, there’s not much between them.
“If they have that belief and spirit and that attitude on any given day anyone can beat anyone in my interpretation.”
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