Justin McNulty praises Laois' mental toughness in historic Tailteann Cup win
Laois had five points to spare over Antrim
Justin McNulty's Laois senior footballers have reached their first Tailteann Cup final after an impressive victory over Antrim on Sunday afternoon.
Speaking to the media after the game, McNulty began by praising his players for their determination and mental toughness, which were crucial to their success.
"I’m thrilled with the performance and how the game ebbed and flowed. Our players really stepped up at crucial moments. The momentum shifted dramatically; we hit the crossbar, and they went down the pitch and scored what felt like a sucker-punch goal. But then Evan and a few key turnovers came through. It just didn’t seem like our day, but the players maintained their composure and dug out a result. They deserve immense credit for their resilience and mental toughness," McNulty said.
Laois held a three-point lead at halftime, but Antrim fought back early in the second half, taking a three-point lead with 44 minutes on the clock. McNulty admitted he was worried at this stage but once again praised his team’s efforts.
"It definitely looked like we were in big trouble, but the players kept their composure and stuck to the game plan. We missed numerous scoring opportunities, so there’s room for improvement, but their grit and determination were phenomenal, and we were very pleased with that," he said.
Laois struggled with accuracy at times, recording double figures in wides and dropping several balls short into the keeper’s hands. McNulty acknowledged this but commended his players for their "never say die" attitude.
"It was one of those days where our scoring wasn’t where it needed to be, but the 'never say die' attitude was crucial. Antrim has shown great resilience in recent games, and we knew we had to match that. The players did just that," McNulty said.
Laois led by two points as the game neared its conclusion but ended the match with 14 men after Evan O’Carroll received a black card for a deliberate trip. Brian Byrne stepped up during this period to score a third goal for Laois, sealing the victory.
"After the black card, we were really worried, but the players kept their composure and seized opportunities. The immense effort across the board, those turnovers and win backs, set the tone for the performance," McNulty said.
Brian Byrne scored two goals for Laois, and McNulty praised the Graiguecullen center-back for coming back from a severe knee injury last year and displaying his "warrior qualities."
"He’s a warrior and showed real warrior qualities today. His goal was crucial, and I’m really pleased for the whole group. Everyone is an important link in the chain, and we value the efforts of each individual because it all combines," he said.
A major pre-match concern was how Laois would handle Antrim’s Ruairi McCann. Mark Timmons was tasked with marking McCann and managed to keep him relatively quiet.
"One goal came from that high route one ball that causes problems. Thankfully, McCann wasn’t as effective as in other games, but he was problematic early on. That goal could have been crucial, but thankfully it wasn’t," McNulty said.
Standing on the sideline, with Laois looking to be in trouble when Antrim went from three points down to three points up, McNulty thought his side might be on the wrong end of the result. He paid homage to his side for their resilience in turning the game around.
"I believed we were in trouble, but the players showed enormous strength of character, mental toughness, and composure. They exceeded my expectations," he said.
McNulty acknowledged that sometimes the breaks of the game go in your favor, but that’s football. He noted that on another day, Antrim could have come away with the victory.
"Our team showed huge hunger and desire. Some days, the breaks go your way, and the scores come at the right times. That happened for us today. We know Antrim has good players and are well-coached. Things just worked out better for us today. There wasn’t any strategic superiority; we just got the breaks at the crucial times and got over the line. On another day, it could have been Antrim," McNulty said.
McNulty finished by praising the Tailteann Cup as a competition, highlighting how it provides teams like Laois and Antrim a chance to play at Croke Park and potentially win silverware.
"Since you’re knee-high, you dream about playing in Croke Park. If you ask any of the four management teams or the players, they want to win in Croke Park and win silverware. Any day you get that opportunity is a privilege and something to be very excited about. That’s the beauty and positive aspect of the Tailteann Cup for all the second-tier teams," he concluded.