Michael Darragh Macauley paid tribute to the late Dermot Manley following Ballyboden St Enda's victory over Garrycastle in Sunday's Leinster club semi-final.
Manley, who was nicknamed 'Digger', was a clubmate of Macauley. He passed away nearly a fortnight ago.
"What was on my mind more than anything today was the loss of Dermot Manley," Macauley told RTÉ Radio 1 after the game.
"Dermot was an unbelievable human who came from this club and played with this team. He was on championship-winning teams with this club. You just don't know, in life and in sport, what's going to happen next.
"We lost Digger last week and nothing is going to be the same again. We're looking at everything differently.
"I actually just don't know what to say to his friends and family. He was one of the best humans I ever met and if we had a few more like him, the world would be a better place."
1/3 The Manley and Moynagh families would like to extend our deepest gratitude for the support received from the Ballyboden family during the past week. We will be forever grateful.
— Ballyboden St Endas (@Bodengaa) November 22, 2019
3/3 Míle buíochas libh go léir don chabhair,comhluadar agus cairdeas speisialta le linn na seachtaine tragóideach seo. Táimid fíor bhuíoch díobh ar fad.
Dermot “Digger” Manley, the man with the mischievous glint in his eye.
Ní bheidh a leithéid arís ann. pic.twitter.com/jII9PrOMzp— Ballyboden St Endas (@Bodengaa) November 22, 2019
Sunday's victory sees Ballyboden progress to the Leinster final for the first time since 2015. Macauley said the current panel is the strongest the club has had since that All-Ireland winning 2015/16 campaign.
"Momentum builds," said Macauley, "people get behind it, flags start going up in Rathfarnham, Knocklyon and people in the shops start talking about it.
"It gets that lovely buzz about the place."
You can listen to the interview with Michael Darragh Macauley below.
Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
