Tinahely’s sensational Leinster Club SFC first round victory over Portarlington wasn’t a surprise to their manager Martin Ging, despite the celebrations which followed their first Wicklow SFC success in 40 years seven days earlier.

“We had to take them out of pubs on Tuesday. We got them together Tuesday night. We just turned up. That’s all we did. We actually trained properly for the first time on Friday night,” Ging told reporters after his side’s shock 2-5 to 0-10 win at Laois Hire O’Moore Park.

“We came back … we knew we had a chance up here, in fairness. And that’s no disrespect to Port’. But we actually fancied coming up here. We’ve trained 100 times this year and this is our 25th match. We have a crowd of young lads who know no fear. And you could see the heart out there today was there to be seen.

“We knew Port’ would come back at us in the second half, but we knew too that we had the forwards to keep it ticking over.

“The dream keeps on living now. For the size of our village, for what we’ve done for Wicklow football, people gave us no hope. Paddy Power had us at 7/1. A great night for Tinahely. We’re going to celebrate it now,” added the winning manager, whose side can now look forward to a quarter-final against Tullamore in Aughrim next Sunday.

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