"We are going to cherish this forever" - Maher and Allenwood react to Leinster Intermediate final win

“It’s my sixth year playing senior football and we haven’t got past the quarter-final stage in the Kildare Intermediate Championship. So to win a county final and then win a Leinster final is unbelievable,” the words of Allenwood captain Billy Maher following his side’s Leinster Championship final win over Dublin’s Scoil Ui Chonaill.

“There are not many people that can say they won a Leinster with their club, I am lost for words. It’s an unbelievable achievement and we are going to cherish this forever.”

The young Allenwood captain hailed the club’s management team and their role in the club’s success in 2023. Maher said,“I couldn’t ask for any more from them. When the going gets tough there is that arm around you to tell you to keep going. 

“They make sure everyone knows their job for the team and you know everyone else’s job. I’m up in forwards, but I know the corner-backs job off by heart, I know Luke’s kickout’s off by heart and it’s a team performance. It’s hard work and I couldn’t be more proud of the lads.”

Mark Delaney’s goal was a pivotal turning point in this game to draw the sides level, and it came no more than 40 seconds after his introduction to the field.

Delaney found the net in stunning style and even the man himself struggled to describe it. He said, “It all happened so fast, I didn’t know whether to go for a goal or a point and I just pulled the boot. When I was watching it, I thought it was going to hit the crossbar. It was going straight for the crossbar and I couldn’t believe it when it hit the bar and went in.”

Despite what the instant goal contribution might indicate, Delaney was actually sent on to play a specific defensive role for Noel Mooney’s side. In the minutes that followed he did it superbly and tightened the defensive unit as a whole.

He said, “I had a job to do, on their no.10, literally follow him everywhere he went. For that split second, I was just on, he took his eye off me and I was gone. The field just opened up and it’s just a blur really.”

“After that, I think I just added a little of size under their kickout, we were getting a little bit exploited around the wings.”

Delaney, who has won plenty with Kildare and in club hurling, spoke on where this Leinster championship win ranks for him and said, “The days you have with the county hurling are unbelievable, but absolutely nothing beats winning with your club, it’s different gravy.”

The wing-back finished the interview looking around the field packed with people in joyous scenes of celebration and smiled as he said,“I didn’t realise there were this many people living in Allenwood, the place is absolutely jammed…the roar that went up at points during that game was really special.”