David Dooley aims for Laois to surpass their performance and secure victory in the Joe McDonagh Cup final.
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Laois's captain David Dooley, driven by the agony of last year's Joe McDonagh Cup final defeat to Offaly, hopes to avenge that loss against Kildare in Sunday's decider at Croke Park. This time around, Dooley, who earned his senior debut just 16 months ago, leads the O'Moore men as captain, a role he received at the start of the season.
"It's bloody massive," Dooley, a former Leinster rugby sub-academy member, exclaimed to RTE Sport about Sunday's final. The encounter means everything to the Laois squad and the wider community, he adds.
After a successful start to the campaign with wins over Westmeath, Down, and Kerry, Laois faced an unexpected 4-20 to 1-18 defeat against Kildare in Round 4. Their journey to the final was sealed only when James Duggan scored deep into injury time in a dramatic 2-17 to 1-20 draw against Carlow. A little luck and a lot of character saw Kildare edge out Carlow on scoring difference in the group.
Dooley, the team's captain, believes Laois is brimming with leaders and boasts depth in its ranks. "There's been a whole horde of lads stepping up," he cheered. "I think in the early stages of the round-robin, there were lads standing up. In the latter stages, it's new lads, lads that haven't been included in matchday squads, who are stepping up and grabbing starting positions. That's what's needed."
The battle in the middle third could well determine the outcome, with Dooley stating that it's often where games are won and lost. "It's gonna be another slugfest there this weekend, and they're gonna be well up for it too."
The Laois captain has been a persistent presence in the heart of midfield this season, but his partners have varied. "It's been chopped and changed the last couple of weeks," Dooley said. "Fiachra C-Fennell, Paddy Purcell is operating there as well, John Lennon, there's Aidan Corby — any of them can step in there."
Despite prevailing as favorites, Dooley isn't underestimating the challenge posed by Kildare. "We played them early on in the round-robin and they had the upper hand that day, and they were very, very well worth their win," he admitted. "It'll hopefully be a cracker, and we'll count on our experience, but that hurt from last year will hopefully stand to us and hopefully get us over the line."
As for Kildare, they've been impressing spectators with their performances, having reached Christy Ring finals the past couple of years. Their experience of playing at Croke Park and their capacity to recover from adversity could make all the difference.
Stay tuned for the action live on RTE2 and RTE Player at 1.30pm on Sunday. Follow a live blog on our website/sport and the RTE News app, and listen to commentary on RTE Radio 1's Sunday Sport.
"David Dooley, the Laois captain, emphasized the significance of the sports match against Kildare, stating, 'It's bloody massive.'"
"Laois's quest for victory in the Joe McDonagh Cup final against Kildare is driven by a desire to avenge last year's defeat, as well as the leadership and depth within their sports team."
