These lads were in it together - Jamie Brennan

With Abbey VS celebrating on the pitch after lifting the Paddy Drummond Cup, one of their backroom team, who knows a thing or two about playing, Jamie Brennan, was looking on with a very broad smile.

Brennan was assistant manager to Stuart McFadden and he has watched this AVS side perform to their best at the highest level.

They had nine points to spare at the finish against a very rugged and physical Ashbourne CS team, who really put it up to the Donegal Town boys in the third quarter.

A seven point half-time lead was whittled down to three and the Meath side were missing enough chances to be level.

But once Abbey got their kick-out sorted they pulled away again in the final quarter to be very worthy winners.

“There are just phenomenal footballers there and I suppose they are just nice lads off the field too, real civil and  they look out for each other.

“And you could see there when the squeeze came on today, they were all in it together. There was no selfishness and that’s what I really liked about it, that togetherness,” said Brennan.

Abbey VS celebrate their All-Ireland win

The Donegal senior player said they knew that it would be a battle as it always is against Meath sides.

“Yeah, definitely, and we said that they would be a big physical Meath side and that’s part of their football too. We knew they would get a purple patch but we weathered that storm. We stood well and you couldn’t ask for any more.”

The Bundoran native was really pleased along with the massive Abbey VS support with the first half performance as the winners kicked 10 points, one better than the other, to lead by 0-10 to 0-3 at the break. It was a clinical performance.

“Yeah, they have been like that all year. That’s been a big attribute. They have a lot of kickers and if you’re looking at a team to play them, you have to pick up five, six scorers. I’d say if you looked at the scorers today, there was a wide spread.

“Also a huge part of the day was the defence were really positive,” said Brennan, who hailed the impact from the bench of Johnathan O’Driscoll, Patrick Gormley and Daniel McIntyre making very big contributions.

Asked about being on the outside of the line and trying to help the young side cope with the pressure, what were his thoughts.

“I’d like to be playing. I’d love to be playing in an All-Ireland final. But look, it’s a school and you have to come together with the school community as well. I will have a chance to focus on my own football a wee bit more.”

But he was happy to be able to work with such a large group of talented footballers.

“You get that, a team that comes together and there’s something special there. You can really see that and they all bought in and that helps.  It makes a massive difference when you have 24, 25 boys at training and you can work on stuff.”

And it is not just the panel who were in Clones on All-Ireland final day, there are a good number of young players in the school featuring at Donegal minor level who were not part of the squad. Brennan feels there is plenty to look forward to both at school, club and county level for the players.

“It’s a matter of them keeping at it and this win will be positive for them. Students in the school will see the level they have got to and they can strive to get to that level again, that will be the big one for them.

“Hopefully, the work that the clubs are doing there with Four Masters and Naomh Brid and St Naul’s makes life so much easier for us. They have that skill level and they can come in and work with us. That’s a huge help. They have a crop and it’s a matter of keeping them at that level and trying to get to the next,” concluded Brennan.