KIERAN DONAGHY’S CLUB dream died on 15 February in Portlaoise.
But he’s wasted little time in getting over the shattering disappointment of that All-Ireland semi-final loss with Austin Stacks.
Donaghy has immersed himself in the county game and was back in harness with Kerry on Sunday, captaining them for the first time as they claimed league points over Dublin.
“It was a big day for me. My birthday today, first day out as Kerry captain. I’ll be honest, it was very disappointing to lose that game two weeks ago.
“We should have won it. To lose it was sickening. But I had a great privilege that the Stacks boys, through their hard work all year, had made me captain. You can’t be sitting around feeling sorry for yourself after losing a club semi-final, disappointing as it was.
“It was important to get back on. I wanted to come back in the Tuesday or the Thursday afterwards but Eamonn wanted me to take a week off and come back in the following Saturday so.
“It’s unbelievable to be given this opportunity and I want to play as many games as I can. I missed a lot of two years ago with injury and last year with injury so, I wanted to get back out there.”
Donaghy praised his teammates for the fight they showed in grinding out a victory.
“They (Dublin) came down with full ambitions of winning and we knew that. Where we were at half-time, down 7-6, I said to the boys, ‘ye didn’t expect anything else, this is going to be a war and a battle’.
“I think that’s what I’m most proud of in the team, that we were able to pull through in a battle, a battling game like that. At one stage there, I couldn’t see in the goal in front of us with the hailstones coming in. It was great to get the win.”
Third choice 7 MOM – just saying…
@Fuinneóig Ó’Fuigeann: Very obvious after Six Nation’s he’s not 3rd choice.
@Tomás O’Loughlin: Shame a 7 from another province didn’t put his hand up…
@Fuinneóig Ó’Fuigeann: Tommy O’Donnell. Injured. Like Sean O’Brien. Next point?
@Tomás O’Loughlin: who?
@Fuinneóig Ó’Fuigeann: What a troll. No one had heard even mentioned Leavy 6 months ago. Just because a fantastic player is injured you forget him? Eejit.
Outstanding Easter weekend what a way to end Lent with a Feast of Irish Winners,,,,,,sadly my liver is fecked
james lowe must have worked on his defence, it was immense today
You have to love his enthusiasm – his delight when he scored!
That picture at the top is gold!
@Sam Harms: two great players disappointed at losing a game? What’s your point
@Victor Sonovich: because no one likes Owen Farrell
@Bob Joe: i dont get why. He gets in fights but hes a physical player. Much more likeable then Lawes,Hartley,Marler,Care,Brown
@Bob Joe. I dunno, seems alright to me.
Farrell is very popular amongst his colleagues and most people who’ve met him have nothing but good things to say about him.
leinster where good for their money on the day and held back a big saracens pack which i thought where not so good in defence .but we must be carefull in our defence which nearly went off the rails if only they where more aggresive against scarlets in week or so we can win as they have a stronger team than off form scarlets and will be dirty as usual look at last year one sent of and target sexton many times and other dirt they got away with by the ref in that game we must show them we wont be bullied and we can win with speed and on long ball to keep them in their half .it will be hare to call but as i said if they attack them in power we can win as scarlets will play dirty all day long we cant let them do it as they could be dangerous if we let them away with it .ill go leinster 29 .scarlet 19