"I’d wish it on every player to experience something like this" - Johnny Byrne on Allenwood's Leinster triumph

One of the hardest working men in sport, especially in 2023, is Allenwood’s stalwart and dual player, Johnny Byrne. Inter-county hurling with Kildare, a County hurling final with Coill Dubh and now a Leinster Intermediate Championship win with Allenwood, what a year it has been and continues to be for the centre-forward.

Byrne said post-match, “This is unbelievable. I’d wish it on every player to experience something like this because it is a magical moment to be here with all these Allenwood people and to see their faces. The support they have given us from the start of the year to this moment, it’s just exceptional.”

After some early goal concessions in this final, Noel Mooney’s men were seemingly cut open at ease by long balls into the forward line. But as they have done all year, they adapted and conceded just one point from play in the second half.

Byrne hailed the role of the Allenwood replacements for changing the game as it wore on.

“We reacted to what happened. We knew where the issue was coming from, not tracking runners, and then after that we tightened up in those areas and we closed it down,” he said.

“But having subs like Mark Delaney, Daz Judge, Jake O’Brien, David Byrne, we’ve been calling them finishers, not subs, because we know if we go out and empty the tank that they are going to come on and do the job.”

Byrne also mentioned the mentality of this Allenwood squad and few are more qualified to speak about various dressing rooms than the experienced forward, who has been in plenty of different ones.

He said, “To be honest, it was the most relaxed dressing room I was ever in with Allenwood over the year. We knew after going in four points up (at half-time) that we couldn’t concede a goal early, that was the main thing. First 10 minutes we had to gas ourselves and then we had the cavalry come off the bench, like what they have been doing all year.”

When asked to sum up what this provincial title means to the people of Allenwood, Byrne simply said, “Have a look around you.”

The post-match interviews were done on the pitch after the game and were carried out amongst a sea of warm embraces, congratulations and heartfelt pats on the back. It was truly a sight that summed it all up.