Building momentum key admits satisfied Dowdall
Senior football championship favourites St Loman’s, Mullingar completed their fourth victory of the campaign as they proved too strong for Killucan in Moynihan Park on Sunday, thus reaffirming top spot and a place in the semi-final in three weeks time.
Last year’s defeated finalists will face either Tyrrellspass or Tang in the penultimate round and manager Paddy Dowdall, in his first year at the helm, was keen to take the positive aspects from Sunday’s 3-9 to 1-9 victory.
“I’m very happy with the team's performance, overall. We knew coming out here to Ballynacargy today against a very good, well organised Killucan team that it would be tough. The players did themselves justice and put in a really hard shift,” he said.
Dowdall’s charges had to dig deep when they were reduced to 14 men after 15 minutes, with Peter Foy picking up a straight red card following an off-the-ball incident. John Heslin (2-5) was one of those who showed great leadership when the gauntlet was thrown down by Killucan.
“John and a couple of guys along with him,” observed Dowdall.
“John in particular is a fantastic footballer and there were a lot of players around him who did a lot of groundwork for a number of scores that we got today. It was a team performance and that’s what we’re looking for.”
He was impressed with how his charges responded in the face of adversity.
“There was no let-up and we knew things like this could happen. The environment you are going into, you get these things (setbacks). It can happen, but after that (sending off) the lads were totally focused right to the end of the game.”
It was also significant to see players like TJ Cox and Fola Ayorinde enter the fray as the game progressed and Dowdall realises it will be vital to have a strong panel.
“As I said, from the start of the year, it’s all about the panel and having those players to come in off the bench and make an impact is vital. Every time this year, the bench has made an impact and that has been very important for us,” he noted.
Dowdall said his players are not buying into the hype around the team, with bookies making them strong favourites to claim the Flanagan Cup again. He feels momentum will be vital come the knock-out stages.
“They are experienced and I would say 80% of this group has been in this position before. They know what it’s about and the hype that goes with it. They have been through that, but all we’re focusing on is one game at a time. And we’ll just keep working through that process.
“We have a couple of dual players, but the thing about this is to build momentum. And if you get to semi-final or quarter-final it doesn't matter. You just have to keep trying to win games,” he remarked.
Killucan needed to win, but Sunday’s defeat now sees them demoted to Section B.
Elsewhere, Coralstown/Kinnegad got the better of Tyrrellspass to claim the other semi-final spot, while Caulry and The Downs played out a draw. Caulry now face a quarter-final clash against neighbouring Athlone.