"That was our aim at the start of the year" Caragh boss and captain look ahead to IFC final
Caragh got past to Rathangan to set up an Intermediate Championship clash with Leixlip
Caragh manager Michael Browne, a former Sarsfields player, was asked to sum up Caragh's win over Milltown, manager Michael Browne replied instantly with one word “hardship.”
"The first half we played well, very well, scored from all over the place and then the second half was a dominant display from Rathangan, all the pressure was on us, in fairness we held on and got the win in the end, and thanks the referee blew up when he did."
The manager added what while he was happy going into the dressing room at half-time at the same time “you know that Rathangan are going go have their dominant spell, a purple patch” adding “the way I deal with it and said to the boys at the break it is a level playing pitch going out after the break and we have to win the second half, regardless of what we are ahead; in fairness to Rathangan they are strong, very strong, a very good side and they dominated for 25 minutes.”
"We did get a few vital points at vital times in the second half; Matty McNally's point was crucial; they got a goal and we go back up and get a point."
On the Leixlip game: “Another good game, the intermediate games have been the better games of the weekend, and they have been earlier as well.
Milltown are good, they played very well in the opening half but, a bit like us, Rathangan came back at them, a bit like our game really, but luckily enough we held on.
“Leixlip are well set up, they are coming from a senior standard, they are in Division 1, we are in Division 3, we are going to be up against it but our lads are delighted to be in a county final, that was our aim at the start of the year and we are in it now.
Browne added that “a seven day turn-around is a bit much, especially with the knocks we picked up against Rathangan; Dan Lynam and Kevin Connor are both doubtful but we will see how they are during the week, these things need to be managed during the week.
The manager, in his first year in this role added “form goes out the window in county finals, anyone can win a county final, hopefully the weather plays ball and we can have a good game, a good contest, they have good footballers and we have good footballers so hopefully we get a real good good game and come out on top but it certainly won't be easy.”
"These lads are easily managed, good lads, we started back training in January and they are fully clued in, everything I have asked of them they are doing, buy into it straight away, shoulder to the wheel and that stuff.”
DAN LYNAM
“It's a great feeling to be in a county final, I can't remember the last time the club was in a final”, the words of Caragh midfielder Dan Lynam, but it is brilliant.”
Tough game: “Yes, very tough, we let them back into the game and our game plan had them nearly dead and buried in the first half and then we just let them back into it; we made hard work of it.”
The midfielder suggested that “we maybe got somewhat complacent, we did the same against Sallins, made hard work of it in the end, that is a bad habit and against Leixlip we won't get away with that; they will punish us if we do that so we will have to perform for the whole 60 minutes.”
It will be a great occasion and hopefully we get over the line added not no.9 for Caragh.