"The lads wanted it, especially for the Burke family"- Matchwinner Fitzgerald dedicates win to club great

Ardclough is the place to be on ‘Sunday, Monday and probably Tuesday’ exclaimed Paul Fitzgerald after he helped Ardclough to their first county senior title on Sunday. Ardclough out in a stirring performance to emerge with a three-point victory in one of the most enthralling final matches in recent memory, and the manner in which they did it made it all the sweeter for their sharpshooting corner-forward.

“I don’t know what I’m feeling now to be honest,” he told KildareNow.

“I was lucky 11 years ago to be playing with the likes of Colm Buggy and Tony Spain back then to rob a medal, but Jesus today was even sweeter. It’s the brother’s first one and some of the younger lads really stood up today.”

Fitzgerald finished with 1-4 to his name while his younger brother Martin stroked over seven points as they clocked up all but four of their side’s scores, but Fitzgerald was keen to give credit to the men further back the field who were putting in the dirty work for their team.

“Richie Hoban hit me balls right into my hand. Murt the same; Colm Buggy, twice in the first half straight into the hand… I’m only tapping it over the bar; the boys out the field are doing the work.”

Naas began the game in whirlwind fashion as they struck 1-1 without response, but once Ardclough settled they were much the better side for the remainder of the game. What makes their fine finish to the game all the more impressive is the fact that seven of the players who were part of the Ardclough side were 34 or over.

“We’ve been slow to start every game but the fitness really showed at the end,” remarked Fitzgerald.

“We had a serious physical trainer this year, Rory Kennedy, and we were flying at the end not a bother to us. The boys are unbelievable like. I’m the sixth oldest on the team and I’m only 29. The two boys, Colm Buggy is 39 and Richie[Hoban] is 36 and they really stood up today, and Tony Spain’s man, I’m not even sure if he felt the weight of the ball today. They’re just unreal so they are.”

11 years after lifting his first senior championship title, Fitzgerald admits that there were times when he thought he’d never get his hands on another. After losing the 2015 final to Coill Dubh it seemed like it could be the end of the road for the Ardclough team, but the injection of youth from the likes of Eoghan Walsh, Jonathan Reeves and Niall Delahunt has drove them on again.

Another motivating factor was playing to honour the memory of the late Bobby Burke, a massive figure in the Ardclough club who previously captained the Kildare hurlers and won nine Kildare Senior Hurling Championships during his playing career. Fitzgerald said that he was in the back of the players’ minds as they strode onto the St Conleth’s Park turf on Sunday.

“To be honest, we came out of here two years ago and I thought times are changing, we need an injection of young blood, and we got that in the last couple of years,” said Fitzgerald.

“It just goes to show what a tight bunch we are because the lads stepped up and the lads wanted it, especially for the Burke family who lost Bobby during the week. As you said, it has been a long 11 years and it’s just unbelievable.