Dolan hails players' efforts as Garrycastle prepare for Leinster quest
Garrycastle may have returned to the senior ranks at the first time of asking, but joint manager Gary Dolan was at pains to underline the players' efforts in achieving their target of winning the intermediate championship.
Having been involved in a tense drawn final with Milltown in windy conditions the previous weekend, Garrycastle sealed the title with a strong second-half display last Monday to see off their dogged opponents.
Asked about bouncing back to the senior grade straight away, Dolan replied: “There's nothing easy about it... intermediate is tough, it's tough going and obviously now we have to build on it now and try to perform in Group B (of the senior championship) next year.”
Dolan managed the side along with Karl Henson, and the duo have overseen a campaign backboned by the commitment of their players.
“We put in a hard shift since the 15th of December, the lads backed themselves and it pulled out right with winning the league and winning the championship,” he said.
Dolan highlighted the dedication of some of the club's more seasoned players, including veteran John Gaffey.
“Look at John Gaffey, he's some soldier. He tore his hamstring off the bone back in March or April and he worked so hard, harder than anyone in the club the last six months to get back right and he was immense today, he was brilliant.”
After being involved in a couple of tight games already this year with Milltown, Garrycastle were all too aware of the threat they faced.
“The mindset was great today going into the game . The boys knew they were going to be under pressure with Milltown,” he said.
Level at the interval on Monday, it looked like it would be another nip and tuck affair, going right to the wire. However, Garrycastle upped the ante in the second half and ran out six-point winners.
“The boys started playing an awful lot better in the second half, similar to the Multy game (the semi-final)," Dolan acknowledged, whilst adding that the players introduced from the bench "really helped as well”.
Garrycastle will now meet Fenagh of Carlow in the first round of the Leinster Intermediate Club Football Championship at Netwatch Cullen Park tomorrow (Saturday), throw-in 4pm.