Athy manager Emmanuel Kennedy was happy to see his charges grind out a tough win over Celbridge in what was their best performance of the year on Saturday.
The win grants them a place in the county final for the first time since 2015, giving the south Kildare side a chance of winning their first county title since 2011 when they take on either Moorefield or Naas.
It was a game which Athy controlled for long periods, and it was perhaps flattering for Celbridge that just one point separated the teams.
“We said before the game that it was going to be a total grind and that it would be right to the last minute; it was that and more,” Kennedy told KildareNow.
“We got to three points up, and any time we went to four they tapped on one straight away.
“There’s an awful lot to be proud of and to be happy about. Both teams, the effort they put in was phenomenal. We got 17 points, 16 of them from play. The only part [we were disappointed with] was that we probably weren’t as clinical in terms of some of the goal chances we engineered.”
The Athy manager was particularly pleased with the performances of David Hyland and Pascal Connell in midfield, both of whom showcased boundless energy as they covered every blade of grass in St Conleth’s Park.
“They were brilliant, both in their physicality when we didn’t have the ball and their running when we did have the ball. That was a huge thing for us. There is great flexibility there because the team we started, there were a lot of differences from what we did against Sarsfields. We have a good squad developing and the lads that are coming in off the bench are all adding something.”
If you have a story or want to send photos or videos to us please contact the KildareNow editorial team. via our Facebook, via our email at content@kildarenow.com or on 045 409350 during office hours.