Campbell on the penalty psychology that helped earn Setanta shot at Ulster glory

A minute out from the end of normal time - and with Middletown presented with the chance to finally extinguish all Setanta hope - Kevin Campbell made his play.

A player as comfortable out the field as he is between the posts, his own personal inside knowledge of pressurised situations meant he’d already some very useful inside knowledge to call upon. 

With the score locked at 1-10 to 0-13, Middletown ace Ryan Gaffney had the chance to put definitive daylight between the teams going into time added on. 

Setanta custodian Campbell went to clean his studs off the butt of his righthand post but, having done so, then decided to remain put. Presenting the other three-quarters of his goal to the opposition’s sharpshooter, it was a brave effort to get inside Gaffney’s head. 

But to his absolute credit, that excellent piece of mind games worked as Gaffney woefully fired wide of the far upright. 

Having challenged his inner Bruce Grobbelaar, Emiliano Martinez and Jerzy Dudek, Campbell admitted after he was just relieved to see the effort miss the desired target.   

“It was one of that when it’s given against you, it looks a little harsh. But we’re not going to complain about it now,” he said on the questionable decision to award a penalty in the first place.  

“I’ve been in that position before, and I know it’s pressurised situation. I’m just glad it worked out and it went wide. He’d a choice to make with it and it worked out for us, thank god.”  

Setanata were very slow out of the blocks and allowed Middletown to canter into an opening four-point lead, inside the first six minutes. 

Campbell, who along with Niall Cleary both also boss the team, said it’s something the side had spoken about prior and were determined to guard against. 

“We were slow out of the blocks at the start of both halves. It happened last time out as well. We simply have to get that right now before the final. 

“But Middletown are a seasoned Intermediate hurling team. They looked superb in those opening exchanges. I suppose we hung in there and eventually did settle. 

“After gifting them the four-point start, we were content enough to go in at the break two adrift”.

Middletown slapped two quickfire points onto their half-time lead and were four up five minutes into the new period. But two Gerard Gilmore strikes again halved the deficit. 

And with big Josh McGee Cronolly stepping up to rattle the net in spectacular fashion, Setanta led for the first time nearing the end of the fourth and final quarter. 

“I’m delighted for Josh. I think he’s criminally underrated - especially at county level the last few years. But that’s a big stage out there and he again came up with that massive goal.

“He also tried something similar in the first-half and it took a great save to stop him. It was something we just needed at that time and he stood up. He’s hard to stop when he builds up a head of steam”. 

And with the contest seemingly headed for extra-time, Gilmore stepped up to the plate one last time, almost five minutes into the red, to win it for the Donegal champions. 

“It was such a tricky night but fair play to Gerard, he stepped up there and did the business just when we needed him. 

“We’ve now got two huge results in the last few weeks. We looked at tonight very much as a 50/50 game. It’s a massive step up but I believe it’s the level and standard we’re at. 

“We have an exceptional group of hurlers right now. This team won’t be here forever. You have to make hay while the sun’s shining. We’re working off a small enough panel but every man is contributing and has to contribute, like we seen there tonight. 

”So in a way, there is an advantage to that too. Every player we tog knows they’re going to be called upon at some stage and that builds a real bond”. 

The one concern from the weekend for both Campbell and Cleary will have been the sight of influential duo Steven McBride and Declan Coulter being helped from the field of play because of injury. 

With a fortnight now between their Ulster decider clash with Carrickmore of Monaghan, the clock is already ticking on getting their walking wounded right and ready for that historic provincial showpiece. 

“Declan and Stevie came off there and they’re going to have to be assessed. We’ll enjoy this but then we’ll quickly get the heads down and look at Carrickmore”.