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What they said? ...reaction to McKenna Cup game against UUJ

Thursday, 19 January 2012

John Brennan was pleased with his side's performance on Saturday.

"It was always going to be a struggle. Jordanstown are flying fit. They've been training since last September. "We knew that it was going to be a battle. They had a good win last week. We struggled against Cavan. It was always going to be a struggle. We pulled away in the last ten minutes. I'd though the comeback was on but our defence stuck it out well.
I thought in the second-half particularly against the breeze our defence played very well. They didn't kick many wides and took their scores well but due credit our defence they played very well and put them under a lot of pressure. It was always going to happen, wasn't it! But fair play to Paddy Bradley he's been plugging away in training and he's come back well and he looked sharp enough. He'll be flying fit come National league time."
“It's good to see him there. He's a great boost to the team. Out there without Paddy Bradley in the squad you begin to doubt but once you hear that name everything rises to a different level. That's what happened there now when Paddy came on. The whole thing just lifted. It was a good run out. When he got the first ball he said 'that'll do me no harm', because he won the free. He's a confidence player. I hope he'll be flying now.
It was a good contest. Scores win matches, simple as that, and that goal thankfully came at just the right time because out back were against the wall at the time. But we have rung up two good scores, 0-13 and 1-16, but we will need to keep that up."
The defensive display has been top notch in games, the pressure, the closing down, the swarming around the ball-carrier, John McCamley's vital there, dropping back from midfield and contributing to an impressive defensive strategy and the big Lavey forward agreed.
“John McCamley is fulfilling the defensive role well, dropping back. We're swarming around the players as soon as they get the ball. That's the main thing. We've been working on that, getting in among them. Last year we were hesitant, taking a step back and allowing them to take the shot. As soon as the Jordanstown boys got the ball there were three or four boys in around them. That was very pleasing to see," he said.
“Against Donegal it could be like a Rugby match, with all the players behind the ball. It will be a different test altogether. They beat us twice last year, in the league and championship. We want to win every game we play. That's our intention."
“You can train all you want but it games that you need. They improve you as a player. So if we can get a couple more before the league it will help us. You have to approach them with a new attitude," he added.
O'Boyle has scored ten points, five frees against Cavan and three against UUJ in a ten point haul. It was suggested that free-taking is a specialist role, he agreed, saying: "Aye it is! Last year I was on the fringe but this year I've been put in there and I've racked up a good enough tally, ten points. This year it's my aim to just keep plugging away. It takes someone special to hit frees. Conleith Gilligan is there so I'm learning from the best. If he's on he's hitting them, if I'm on I'm hitting them. No real preference but I do like being in on the edge of the square, especially with the breeze behind your back. You can cause defenders a few problems there. I thought I could have got a penalty there in the first half but obviously not. You can interchange between the two, go out and then, if you're a bit tired, go back in again, just to spice things up a bit. Yeah I set up the goal for him but I missed that one in the first-half."

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