Latest news with #DavidDooley
RTÉ News
3 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
David Dooley determined for Laois to go one better in Joe McDonagh Cup final
Laois captain David Dooley hopes the pain of last year's Joe McDonagh Cup final loss to neighbours Offaly can provide the fuel to get over the line against Kildare in Sunday's decider at Croke Park. Dooley, who only made his senior debut 16 months ago, was part of the starting line-up which Offaly accounted for on a 2-23 to 0-26 scoreline, with goals at the start of each half from Brian Duignan and substitute Oisin Kelly proving decisive. This time around, the Rosenallis clubman leads the O'Moore men into battle as captain, with that honour bestowed on the 22-year-old at the start of the season. "It's absolutely massive," Dooley, who spent two seasons with the Leinster rugby sub-academy, said of Sunday's final in conversation with RTÉ Sport. "We probably have the heartbreak from last year spurring us on a small bit, but it's great to be back here again in Croke Park playing on days like this. It's what you dream of. "It means everything to the group and to the wider community in Laois as well." Laois sauntered to victories over Westmeath, Down and Kerry at the start of the campaign, but then suffered an unexpected 4-20 to 1-18 loss to Kildare in Round 4 of the competition. Their place in the final was only decided when James Duggan found the back of the net with a glancing deflection deep into injury time in a 2-17 to 1-20 draw against Carlow. A little luck and a lot of character saw Kildare edge out the Barrowsiders on scoring difference in the group. Dooley may captain the side, but he believes his side is stacked with leaders and strength in depth. "There have been a huge number of lads stepping up," he enthused. "I think in the early stages of the round-robin there were lads standing up and in the latter stages there's been new fellas, lads that haven't been included in matchday squads are stepping up and getting starting positions and there's that bit of competition amongst everybody. That's what's needed." The struggle for midfield supremacy could well decide who prevails at HQ, with Dooley opining: "The middle third of the pitch is probably where games are won and lost, mainly. "There's going to be another battle there this weekend and they're going to be well up for it too." The Laois captain has been a constant in the heart of midfield this season, but his partners have varied, reflecting the riches that Laois now boast. "It's chopped and changed the last couple of weeks," Dooley said of the personnel he has started alongside. "Fiachra C-Fennell, Paddy Purcell is operating there as well, John Lennon, there's Aidan Corby - anyone of them can step in there. "Hopefully I hold my place, I could be out of it! "They're all very capable and excellent hurlers." Despite being humbled by Kildare earlier in the competition, Laois go into the game as favourites, but Dooley isn't underestimating the task at hand. "We played them early on in the round-robin and they got the upper hand on us that day, and they were very, very well worth their win," he admitted. "Then they played Carlow and they had a great win against Carlow and against the other teams as well going through. "We've been very, very impressed by them and the way they conduct themselves throughout the round-robin. "It's going to be a massive challenge this week. "They've been in Christy Ring finals the last couple of years, so they have that bit of experience. "They were playing the same day as us or maybe the week before us last year, so they have that experience of Croke Park as well. "It'll hopefully be a cracker and we'll count on our experience, but that hurt from last will hopefully stand to us and hopefully get us over the line." Watch Limerick v Cork in the Munster SHC final live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player from 5.15pm Saturday. Follow a live blog on and the RTÉ News app and listen to commentary on RTÉ Radio 1's Saturday Sport. Highlights of all the weekend's football and hurling championship action on The Sunday Game, 9.30pm RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.
Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- General
- Irish Examiner
Laois captain 'grateful' moment of 'mayhem' went their way to secure McDonagh Cup final spot
Laois captain David Dooley has acknowledged that it took a little bit of 'mayhem' to secure their return to the Joe McDonagh Cup final. The beaten 2024 finalists appeared to be cruising back to this year's decider when they started the campaign with big wins over Westmeath, Down and Kerry, registering 14 goals in the process. But the wheels came off then with a surprise 11-point loss to Kildare followed by a draw with Carlow that was only secured thanks to a late, late goal from James Duggan after a goalmouth scramble. Thanks to that goal, and the draw, Laois edged out Carlow on scoring difference in the group, locking down their final place alongside Kildare. "I think mayhem is probably the word that I'd use to describe it," said Dooley of the chaotic closing moments of the Round 5 fixture. "It was just crazy. Mixed emotions really. Like, it felt like it was gone from us with a couple of minutes to go and then just the way it finished was something I've never experienced before. To win in that fashion was just unbelievable. "If that goal hadn't gone in, a Carlow man would be sitting here talking to you now. It comes down to a very fine margin at the end of it all and we're just grateful that we were on the right side of it." Ard Stiúrthóir Tom Ryan, centre, with David Dooley of Laois, left, and Paddy McKenna of Kildare during a Joe McDonagh Cup Final media day at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Tyler Miller/Sportsfile If Laois can complete the job on Sunday, and match their 2019 McDonagh Cup success, it would mark another twist in Dooley's personal sporting tale. He only made his league debut for Laois last year having spent the two previous seasons playing rugby, making it as far as the Leinster academy and even training with the first team. A contract offer never materialised though and after just one season back with Laois, Dooley was handed the team captaincy by manager Tommy Fitzgerald for 2025. Still just 22, he has packed a lot into a short period of time. Not that he was reluctant or disinclined to take on the armband because of his age. "No, not really," he said. "Probably the overriding feeling was just pride. I snatched his hand off when I got the call. I wasn't really expecting it but there are so many big leaders within the group as well. "I wouldn't be the biggest talker in the group or anything like that but I try my best to lead by example if I can on the pitch. That's where I probably add the most amount of value to the group." Back in the oval ball game, some of his former colleagues are kicking on to the next level. "I would have played with Sam Prendergast up along," he said, referencing the Ireland international. "It's great to see him going really well. He's probably the biggest star at the minute I played with but there's plenty of lads who have Irish caps at the minute and who will earn Irish caps as well in the next couple of years, who I would have been playing with. "I'm still in touch with a lot of them and still friends with a lot of them." McDonagh Cup final opponents Kildare won the Christy Ring Cup title just last year yet are on the verge now of Leinster SHC activity in 2026, a romantic tale that has captured the imagination of hurling neutrals. "They're physical, they're strong, and they can hurl," said half-forward Dooley. "It's going to be incredibly tough on Sunday because they set up very well. They counteracted our plan really well the last day. We'll have our work cut out for sure."
Irish Times
6 days ago
- General
- Irish Times
Rugby's loss is hurling's gain as Laois captain David Dooley plots Joe McDonagh Cup triumph
In another version of the story, Laois hurling captain David Dooley could have traded a Joe McDonagh Cup final at Croke Park this Sunday to instead be playing in a United Rugby Championship decider with Leinster at the same venue in two weeks. The 22-year-old versatile midfielder is also a talented rugby player and spent two years with the Leinster Rugby sub-academy where he lined out alongside the likes of Sam Prendergast and Paddy McCarthy. Dooley played with Tullamore Rugby Club and also MU Barnhall, sporting experiences he believes have stood to him on a hurling field. 'There were some really good people involved in all the set-ups I was involved with,' he says. 'So I try to add value, then, from what I learned in the rugby world to the Laois set-up. READ MORE 'Small things, even like the professionalism involved in rugby. I would have been in and around lads who did that as their full-time jobs. 'The way they prepare for training, the way they prepare for games, the things they would have done outside of training is something I've probably tried to take from that mainly. 'The mental preparation, the video analysis, all that sort of thing, it's really big within the rugby circles and I feel it can definitely be added to the GAA community too.' Dooley is still in contact with some of his former rugby teammates and keeps an eye on their progress with club and country. David Dooley during Leinster training in 2022. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho 'I would have played with Sam Prendergast and it's great to see him going really well,' says Dooley. 'He's probably the biggest star at the minute but there are plenty of lads who have Irish caps or who will earn Irish caps as well, I'm sure, in the next couple of years, who I would have been playing with. 'I'm still in touch with a lot of them and still friends with a lot of them, so I'm delighted for them all.' When I was away from it, I did miss it a lot — David Dooley Dooley predominately played at inside centre but when the offer of a full-time contract didn't materialise from Leinster, the Rosenallis clubman picked up his hurl again and made his senior Laois debut last year. 'I always dreamed of playing professionally at something, so look, it didn't work out in the end,' he says. 'The fact I had Laois hurling and GAA in general to come back to was absolutely massive for me. It's been absolutely brilliant. When I was away from it, I did miss it a lot. 'I would have still gone to all the Laois hurling matches and even club matches. I was probably still going into [club] trainings just to meet the lads. 'They're the lads you grew up with and lads you grow together with. It was always a dream of mine to play for Laois. My father had played for Laois beforehand and it was something that was probably bred into me from a young age. It was special to come back and be involved again.' [ The Schemozzle: Tiered hurling system sending ill-prepared counties round in circles Opens in new window ] [ Munster final tactical analysis: Cork must be sharper with puckouts against Limerick Opens in new window ] Sunday's Joe McDonagh Cup final against Kildare at Croke Park (1.45pm) is an opportunity for Laois to make amends for the disappointment of last season. The O'Moore County lost the final to Offaly last June. Kildare have become the story of the competition this season though, progressing to Sunday's final just one year after winning the Christy Ring Cup decider. The Lilywhites beat Laois in the group stages of the Joe McDonagh Cup last month, running out 11-point victors in Portlaoise. 'They were very well worth the win, they're a great side,' adds Dooley. 'They're athletic, physical and can all hurl extremely well. We'll definitely have our work cut out this weekend. 'They only came up from the Christy Ring last year, which was huge for them. To put in the performances and be able to hurl as well as they are, it's incredible to see. They're an incredible side.'
Irish Independent
6 days ago
- General
- Irish Independent
David Dooley using lessons learned alongside Sam Prendergast at Leinster in Laois' bid for Joe McDonagh Cup
Laois and David Dooley have taken the scenic route but they're back again for Joe McDonagh Cup final day having fallen at the final fence to Offaly last year.
