Longford SHC Final: “A very special achievement” - Slashers captain Johnny Casey

After the victory in the county SHC final at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on Sunday last the Longford Slashers captain Johnny Casey stated that to win back-to-back Jimmy Duignan Cups is a special achievement especially as it is a very rare achievement for the club.

“It is a very special achievement. I remember that it was not too long ago when we had to wait twenty years to be crowned champions, so to win the title two years running for the first time since 2000 & 2001 is brilliant.

“I have to give credit to the players who really dug in today and throughout the year. As I said in my speech, they travelled the length and breadth of the country to play matches and it really showed out on the pitch today.

“I must give credit to the management team as well, they have been really, really good. We have Brian (Healy) who came in last year and he has brought a different level to the team. Robbie and Niall, Noel, and Darragh as always have played an important part too with the team and it’s a great feeling to be back-to-back champions.”

Johnny acknowledged that Wolfe Tones always produce their best championship performance against Slashers on county final day even when they get well beaten in the group stages by the sky blues, as was the case both this year and last year.

“Wolfe Tones always produce their best display at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park. Last year and this year, we beat them well in the group stages but only won the final by a few points after a replay, and it was only in the closing ten minutes that we pulled away today.

“I played with Wolfe Tones myself for a year and they are just a team that never let you hurl, they always come out with all guns blazing. The best way I can describe them is that they are just like badgers and you cannot easily get rid of badgers. They are just unreal and I have great admiration for them. I love playing with their players for the county, they are a great team and a great club, and I have the highest respect for them.

Reflecting back on the match, Johnny did not think that victory was achieved until David Buckley’s late goal.

“We were only three points up on a couple of occasions including when they scored their goal ten minutes or so from the end and it was only when we scored our goal that I knew we were going to be crowned champions again. Our lads just refused to give up and we had the fitness in those last five to ten minutes to see it home.

“Our subs such as Sean Tiernan and Stephen Murray to name just two had a big impact on the game for us and they brought the energy to the second half that we needed. It’s not a fifteen-man game anymore, it’s about the substitutes and the panel as well and we have a panel that can bring something extra to our starting fifteen.”