Abbey VS manager Stuart McFadden hails his ‘super footballers’

Stuart McFadden was joining with the supporters as the Artane Boys Band finished up Amhran na bhFiann before the start of the MacRory Cup final at the Box-IT Athletic Grounds in Armagh.

In the entrance to the dressing room he had just emerged from the victorious Abbey VS room as things began to quieten down after his side had won a first ever MacLarnon Cup for the school, defeating Belfast college Our Lady & St Patrick’s College, Knock by 2-10 to 0-8.

The Gaoth Dobhair native, along with Jamie Brennan from Bundoran, had masterminded the biggest ever win for the school.

“Look, it’s hard to put into words. Super proud of the boys there to get over the line and to work it out. We had a very good first half and we were pleased when we came in. A bit too many turnovers.

“Second half then, there was always going to be a wee bit of nerves. They took their foot off the gas a bit but as long as we had that cup back to Donegal we were going to be happy.

“We knew at the start of the game, it was a big occasion and historic for the school. There was always going to be nerves and we tried to feel our way into the game. We came in at half-time and we told the boys we needed to keep going, we needed to keep working hard.

“It’s to be expected that they took their foot off it. Knock were always going to get a purple patch and they got it. I think we weathered it well enough just to get through and hold on to that lead.

“But look, we have some super boys out there and some super footballers. They can lead themselves out there on the field; they know how to keep ball. And I’m so, so proud of them boys.”
https://www.donegallive.ie/news/gaa/1420363/abbey-vs-make-maclarnon-history-after-defeating-knock-in-final-in-armagh.html

McFadden agreed that it wasn’t as easy on the sideline in the second half when Knock came back to  cut the lead to five points.

“The heartbeat probably was a bit higher than I wanted it to be and the nails are a wee bit short. Listen, there were a couple of chances in the second half when we should have popped it over the bar and we went for the goal when the goal wasn’t on.

“You were always thinking this could go against us. But listen, we trust the boys out there, that they will make the right decisions when it comes again.

“We came in at half-time and singled out David Monaghan. And to be fair, Oisin Mogan put in a big shift for us, doing the unselfish work,  getting forward. He emptied the tank. Obviously the two Carrs (Turlough and Seanán), Kevin (Muldoon) gives us that bit of intensity, that bit of speed which helps too.

“The boys at the back worked hard to close down any attacks Knock had and at the end of the day, they did their job;  the boys up front did theirs. Altogether, we’re very happy,” said McFadden, who said he was only able to relax when Kevin Muldoon fired home the second goal.

The manager said the school would enjoy the win. “It is an amazing achievement for the school to win at the highest level they have played at. It’s an achievement for the boys, it’s an achievement for the clubs. It’s an achievement for the whole town of Donegal Town and wider area. We will celebrate tonight and then we get back into school after the mid-term and we will plan from there.

“We can go now into the All-Ireland series and we are representing Ulster so we will go and give it a good try,” said McFadden.