Neary admits that revenge was on Strokestown's mind

Overcoming the hurt of county final defeats was a theme of Sunday’s intermediate decider in Kiltoom.

Strokestown and Éire Óg had lost the last three intermediate finals between them, so it was inevitable that overcoming that enormous disappointment was central to the many hours spent on the training ground since the start of the year.

Ultimately, it was Strokestown that avenged last year’s bitterly disappointing final defeat to Elphin. Not surprisingly, Colm Neary told the Roscommon Herald that last year’s defeat rankled before going on to praise team captain, Colin Compton, for leading his side to a second county title in four years.

“That win was a big boost after last year. I suppose revenge was on our minds the whole year. We had one goal on our mind, and that was to get back up this year because we know how hard it is to get out of it (intermediate). I am just delighted to get over the line today.

“It was inspirational stuff (from Compton). He is eyeing them up there from difficult angles but if there is anyone who you want kicking them, it’s him. He is the captain, and he led by example,” Neary noted.

Strokestown’s Timmy Gibbons was given the onerous task of keeping track of key Éire Óg forward, Conor Cox.

Even though the intercounty forward kicked 0-11, just three of those points came from play, as Gibbons went about his business with the minimum of fuss.

The Strokestown defender knew that Cox would find the target at times but felt that his side maintained their discipline, especially when the pendulum was beginning to swing Éire Óg’s way in the second half.

“I was gutted at the end when he got the two-pointer (from play). You had it in your head to let him take it too because we were saying no goals. I was told during the week that I was picking up Cox. I know the calibre of player he is, so I was trying to do as much as possible to put him off.

“As Basil (Mannion) says, scorers will score. I had to have that mentality too and try keep him minimised as best I could. Another thing was not to concede frees and let him shoot the two-pointers.” 

Gibbons admitted that he was desperate for Strokestown to keep a clean sheet as he praised his side’s concentration and tenacity at the back.

“I saw Willie Hegarty said in the paper (Roscommon Herald) that intermediate finals always live up to expectations. We were five up at half time and they came back to within a point. Then we went eight up and they brought it back.

“You are never safe until that whistle goes. It is all about (conceding) no goals. We were conceding a lot of goals throughout the year, but we didn’t concede a goal today. It is great to have the likes of Seán Mullooly and David Neary, they’re animals back there who can get it out of that danger zone as quickly as they can,” Gibbons asserted.

Strokestown captain Colin Compton believed that his side had earned the right to enjoy their success, before adding that Strokestown couldn’t rest on their laurels ahead of a Connacht semi-final against Leitrim opposition next month.

“I was just saying to someone that I don’t think Strokestown have won a Connacht medal at any grade, so that is the next goal now. It is Allen Gaels or St. Pats Dromahair of Leitrim now in a few weeks’ time.

“It is a realistic goal. We are going to look forward to it, we are going to take it on and hopefully bring more silverware back to the club,” he concluded.