'We now have to focus for the final' says delighted 'Castle boss

"A great battle," was how Garrycastle manager, Anthony Cunningham summed up his side's historic win, in the immediate aftermath of a titanic All-Ireland club senior football semi-final at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park last Saturday. "The goal that James Dolan got set us up in the second half. We probably missed two points at the start of the second half and we were wondering were we going to get back into it, but overall we were happy with our performance. We were probably a bit sharper and when we were down to 14 men, we really pulled out some performance. I am delighted," Cunningham said. St Brigid's were firm favourites in running when ahead by two points at the interval with the wind in their backs for the second half, but Cunningham was still upbeat at the break. "I was saying to the boys at half-time that we were going well and were unlucky to be behind by two points. Maybe one or two of the players didn't agree with me. They said, 'we have more in the tank'. We played well in the first half and got more scores from play than they did. We were motoring well but we got a sucker punch with the penalty and maybe conceded one or two soft scores. The wind was across the field really, but it was favouring the team playing into the town goal a small bit, but not much." The Westmeath champions had picked up seven yellow cards (to their opponents' zero) in the first half and the manager was concerned with this. "I thought we were in hard luck, but that's the referee's call. That's the way they referee now. We looked at taking one or two lads off, but it's very hard to take off a guy who's on a yellow because we had so many of them. When you have three or four backs to replace, it's hard. I thought some of the yellows were a bit over the top." The post-match consensus was that Patrick Mulvihill had been the man of the match and Cunningham also lauded his centre half-forward. "Paddy had a powerful game. We brought him out to centre-forward today. He's been playing full-forward and corner-forward for most of the year for us, but he's been going well in training and we gave him a new lease of life. You have to do that, because if you're a forward your nerve can dip from time to time. Paddy is a class player and always has been." Cunningham has very strong links with last Saturday's vanquished side and he was fulsome in his praise for St Brigid's. "Hats off to them. The match wasn't long over when loads of people - players, backroom team - volunteered to give whatever help they can for the final. Last year, Garrycastle people would have been in Dublin to back them in the final. It's hard for me because I'm a Brigid's man. I live there. They're massive sportsmen from a fantastic club. They are gentlemen through and through. Some of those players I've trained or coached or been involved with, but we chose to concentrate on our own game a lot today." A mammoth task awaits Garrycastle on St Patrick's Day in GAA headquarters and Cunningham was very conscious of this. "Today was only a semi-final and we now have to focus for the final. We won't be getting carried away. Crossmaglen are the best club team that we have seen, probably ever. I understand they pulled it out of the fire again today with a late goal (against Dr Crokes). They are massive exponents at doing that. We'll be up there challenging with them. We'll be underdogs, but no better way to go in. "We'll pick St Brigid's brains a bit about last year's final, while I was with them when Crossmaglen beat them in a semi-final by a few points. Their style of play is unique and copperfastened by some excellent individuals. Some of our lads have experience in Croke Park with Westmeath. It's two posts and four white lines. What a day that will be and may the best team win," the Galway man concluded.