Milltown talisman Kevin Byrne reacts after his MOTM performance in Leinster final

Kevin Byrne has enjoyed a brilliant season and on Sunday last put in another man-of-the-match display and admitted soon after the game that the feeling was a bit surreal.

“On the field straight after any game, you kinda feel emotional, everyone coming around you but in the next couple of days it will really settle in. This is a huge achievement for this club.

“We actually said at the start of the year that we had in our sights but it is some achievement to actually come out on top; hard to put into words.”

Milltown won the Dowling Cup, along with the Division 4 League title; one set-back in the Kildare Junior Championship before going on to win; into Leinster and proved just how strong this Milltown really is?

“At the start of the year, we got these young lads on board; the focus of everybody, from one to thirty was unbelievable; you have to grind some of these games out; sometimes things are going against you; the red card today put us on the back foot but everyone remained focused; had it in the mindset to get back to square one where we were; we worked hard, got it back but all that just does not come from a few weeks training; you get that over a year or more.”

The no. 8 made a brilliant last ditch block to deny a dangerous Glyde Rangers attack and something he will remember for many a long day.

“Definitely, I only had one thing on my mind and that was to stop them getting a goal; I saw him coming, he had one thing on his mind and I had one thing on my mind, I knew I had to stop him regardless and I did get a bit of bloody nose after but it's all worth it.”

Milltown has been awash with flags and bunting over the past few weeks and Byrne admitted that “this has been the pinnacle of my career; you don't ever think you are going to get a day like this, to have the whole village out, red and green everywhere; it makes all the work we have put into this year worth it.”