Laffan revels in Clough-Ballacolla completing three in a row quest

Clough-Ballacolla manager, Declan Laffan, enjoyed watching his side claim a third straight Bob O’Keefe cup in O’Moore Park on Sunday. Laffan spoke afterward to the media and gave his thoughts on the match.

“It’s wonderful. Anytime you win a county final it’s good. The fact that it’s three in a row is even better. We were probably a bit more comfortable than we expected which probably helped us relax a bit and enjoy the last few minutes a bit more.”

Clough-Ballacolla blitzed Camross in a scintillating ten-minute spell before half-time and Laffan felt that was where this final was won.

“The ten minutes before half-time was epic stuff, to be fair, with both sides. I think we probably edged that battle and maybe that’s what turned it for us.

“Then we came out in the second half and just kept them at arms’ length really. Look, they created goal chances but we managed to snuff them out. Credit go our backs, and Cathal (Dunne) in goals made a couple of good saves.”

Laffan spoke more on his goalkeeper, Cathal Dunne, who kept a clean sheet on Sunday.

“He’s a real cool dude on the ball alright, in fairness to him. Sometimes he’s too calm for me! I do get edgy watching him at times. No, he was excellent. He done the right thing with possession all the time in fairness to him. He’s got a great head on his shoulders. He’s trying to do the right thing which all the players are.”

There was a general feeling that Clough-Ballacolla might have been a little bit undercooked heading into this clash with Camross, but Laffan’s side didn’t look it during the match.

“We know who we played all along and we never really came down to a tight battle. So we were very conscious of that. We did play a couple of high-class challenge matches against really good teams but you can’t replicate championship intensity.

“So we were a little bit wary but we did feel we were prepared. I think if we perform there are not too many teams that can match us and we’re a match for anybody.

“We’ll go away not and enjoy that. We’ll get ready for Leinster again because I know the boys would like to have another rattle. We were very, very disappointed last year with how things planned out in the end having a couple of great performances and just seemed to fall away in the end. Please God we’ll go at it again and see where it takes us.”

Laffan and Clough-Ballacollla can now turn their attention back to the Leinster club championship, where they still feel they have some unfinished business. 

“We’ll have to go away and prepare. We like to think we’re a match for most teams. I think we’ll have to go to Dublin. Dublin champions in Dublin which will be a mammoth task. Any away game in the club championship is really, really difficult. It’s worth an awful lot to the home team as we found out last year.

“I’m sure we’ll enjoy the week and we’ll get back at it next week. In ten days' time, we’ll see where it takes us.”