‘The body is telling me to stop but I’ll will assist the boys in the future’ - Jason Moore

‘I'm done and dusted now, happy out’ 

PORTARLINGTON’S Jason Moore said of Sunday’s county final win, ‘this one beats the three in row’. Portarlington had an incredibly tough year losing key players due to relocation and travelling abroad. They were relegated to Division 2 for the league and Moore says ‘that hurt us’. A lot of people had them written off for the championship but with a lot of hard work they proved the doubters wrong.

“For me I think this one beats the three in a row to be fair. The reason is because obviously the transition of the club with the boys going to Australia, Dave going across to Rathangan, Adam, Stephen, Stewie, Scott, all the boys going off. A lot of people have us written off this year especially after getting relegated, that hurt us and put us back a small bit, and look here we are today. For me I'd rather give up the three in a row to win this one to be quite honest. Of course, I'll take the four medals but of all them, this one is the sweetest for me definitely,” Moore said.

Pat Roe made it his priority this year to ensure his side would peak for championship and so didn’t bring them back training too early. Moore, being one of the more experienced players, understood his decision and was able to explain it was the right idea to the other players who weren’t too sure.

“Normally you come back in February, and you do your winter runs, everyone dreads them but there was none of that. I'll be honest, a few boys were coming to me saying Jayo is this right or not. I said look if you really want the peak for championship, this is the right thing to do. We are winners, write off the league, I don't care about the league. We won the league last year and no one remembers who won it.

“In fairness, we trusted in Pat and I think where we really stood by Pat is after the first Graiguecullen game, like for them not to beat us in normal time and for it to go to extra time I said you know what boys we have it here. We know there's another 20% extra in us so credit to Pat, he and the management as awhole had us peaking at the right time,” Moore added.

Portarlington attacks each game with the mentality of winning your individual battle on the field. This was evident in the final as they played their own style of football admirably throughout the 60 minutes. Moore admired the bond within the team which he believed drove them forward on the day.

“Credit to Pat, trusting us and even the team itself, we're firm believers that if you want to win a game you have to win your individual battle. When we go out to play teams, we don't go to stop teams. We go to play our style of football, off the shoulder, hard running, quick ball in just traditional football. We're not big into defending. People think we're a defensive team but we're not if lads run forward, of course we're going to track back and defend. This team, the work rate, I can't credit the lads enough. It's nice to win the championship but it's the bond between players, it's some craic in the dressing room and it's shoulder to shoulder and it's one in, all in. They're a great bunch of lads,” he commented.

Moore is involved with the minor team alongside Cathal Ryan and Noel Coss. He spoke about this being a club plan to get the senior lads involved and to integrate the minors into the senior team.

“Myself, Cathal and Noel Coss, as a manager, we sort of came together last year for a plan and we said look, something we haven't done in a few years is that there's no real minor teams coming through. That was sort of a two-year project and last year we won the league final and this year to get to a county final.

“I didn't see the second half today. It was unfortunate not to win but the way myself and Cathal look at it is if we can get five players this year, five players next year and five players the year after. I know that's what Portlaoise are doing now and unlucky to Portlaoise today but their juvenile system is really up and coming at the moment. You've seen the minors, they set the standard today but it's something we're going to look at going forward,” Moore said.

Portarlington face the Wicklow champions in their Leinster campaign in three weeks’ time, Moore says they’ll ‘give it a good run’ despite a few lads going travelling. He also touched on the topic of flying Robbie Pigott, Paddy O’Sullivan and Colm Murphy.

“We play the Wicklow champions and the way I look is I don't care who's in front of me and we have we have a mentality of play every game like it's your last. Whether it be a challenge game or a league game or Leinster campaign or what it is, I say we'll give them a good run for it and look we'll try to throw a few pound together to keep Robbie, Paddy and Colm back and Jake as well.

“Jake was supposed to be going to Australia two weeks ago, but he stayed and credit to the lads for coming home. It wasn't a case that people think the club's flying them home. When we talked about it in the dressing room most lads' answer was how much do they need if they want to come home, we'll facilitate them. We didn't beg them and in fairness the boys answered the call to the jersey and everyone chipped in and here we are today,” he added.

Colm Murphy started the county final, meaning Sean Michael Corcoran dropped out of the squad. Paddy O’Sullivan and Robbie Pigott were on the bench and were introduced in the second half. Despite chatter outside the camp, Portarlington players, Moore included, would have been more than happy to give up their jersey to the lads knowing the talent they possess.

“People outside the club were saying it must be bitter for the lads who have been there all year after the boys went away. That was never the case. Even myself, I would have said here Robbie can have my position or Paddy. I'm coming to the wrong side in my 30s but no one questioned it. Everyone said 100% bring them back into training if they are up to the pace definitely.

“It's not 15 (players) win the championship. It’s one to 30 and it's the boys that are driving them on like Colin Slevin who came on there today. He's pushing us to hold our positions and for me it's the one to 30 that has given us the four championships in the last few years, it's a team effort,” he said.

Jason Moore has had an incredible career in the Portarlington jersey and is an idol for younger players developing through the club. He mentioned that ‘the body is telling me to stop’ , implying he will be hanging his boots up after this season due to work and family commitments. He will be truly missed by the squad but emphasises that he will ‘assist the boys in the future’.

“I'll go as long as I can, but the body is telling me to stop, like niggles here and there, probably a few surgeries along the way coming now to my hips and achilles. I probably struggled a lot this year and last year with injuries, but I'd say this will probably be the last one due to work commitments going abroad and things like that and for family reasons.

“If it is that this is the last one, look this is probably the sweetest one for me, but look it's just the body can't hold up anymore and whatever way I can assist the boys in the future definitely. For me, I say this is the last one for me now. I'll give the Leinster campaign a good shout but no I'm done and dusted now, happy out,” Moore ended.