Offaly manager's emotional interview after Leinster win as he creates new word
Offaly denied Louth an unprecedented clean sweep of Leinster titles at senior, U20 and minor level as they defeated the Wee County in the Monday's minor decider.
The Faithful County trailed by four points with three minutes of normal time to play, but ran out winners by 2-20 to 3-14 in the end after an incredible final few minutes as goalkeeper Jack Ryan converted two long-range stoppage time frees.
Offaly manager Roger Ryan hailed his side's 'Offalyness' as he gave an emotional interview to TG4 after the game. He said: "It's unbelievable. I said to you before the game, if we took this to ten minutes to go, we'd win. And I knew, even when Louth got the penalty, I knew these boys have character and Offalyness you can't buy.
"I'm so proud of them, so proud of every one of them. I'm so proud of their parents, their clubs. It's a massive day for Offaly.
"89 (the last time Offaly won a Leinster minor title). Two players out in the field dad's played the last time.
"I'm emotional now, I'm just, I'm ecstatic for every football person in our county. We soldiered on without winning a whole lot. I'm on a rant now, but it's just so, so great.
"The last time we won something in football was under 20. It was during Covid. There wasn't excitement because of the restricted crowds and all that.
"People are busting themselves day in, day out for Offaly football. For them out there tonight, it's just unbelievable."
Expanding on his use of the term 'Offalyness', Ryan added: "Offalyness is a word. It's one that's in our dressing room. It was wrote down on a piece of paper at the start of the year. We met as a management team, 1st of September and I wrote a word called Offalyness on it.
"The boys looked at me and they knew what it meant and that's what we want to try and instil in these young men."
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