LAST action hero, last man out of the dressing room – but the first name on most people’s lips as they left Croke Park after Kilcoo’s dramatic All-Ireland final victory over Kilmacud on Saturday.
Jerome Johnston’s goal in added time in extra-time saw the Magpies soar across the line just when all had looked lost, as they became the first Ulster club to lift the Andy Merrigan Cup since Crossmaglen a decade ago, and the first Down club to do since Burren in 1988.
When the crunch moment arrived, there was nobody else Kilcoo would have wanted with the last gasp chance to change their destiny.
Wearing a coat-hanger grin as he emerged into the concourse beneath Croke Park, energy flowed from every word, despite how depleted reserves had been an hour earlier.
“We had put a bit of pressure on the ’keeper - I knew we were closing in,” said arch predator Johnston, reliving the magic moment at the death which owed much to his two brothers.
“I said don't make it easy for him because he was happy enough to come with the ball. He was tired, as we all were.
“Shealan turned down the line and at this stage my legs were completely gone. As soon as he got it I shouted to Ryan 'get to the box', because I was thinking if he launches it he has more height than me and I could get off his scraps.
“Next thing Shealan, I don't know how, picked him out with his right foot - right place, right time. I couldn't believe it to be honest, when I seen it coming across to me, I was like 'is this for real?'”
The Magpies trailed by two points at that stage, while they were six back at half-time after a disastrous first half when nothing went right. Still, Johnston always had faith that Kilcoo could pull it from the fire.
“For the last couple of weeks and before that we've probably been talked up a bit. Complacency is contagious.
“As much as you try to contain it, and Mickey [Moran] and the boys did a great job, in the back of everyone's mind... there's only so many times people can say you're going to do it that you don't start to believe the hype yourself.
“In the first half we were just playing terrible - we were kicking shots wide that the boys would usually be putting over with their eyes closed.
“Not that you thought it was over, we knew we'd go to the end regardless, but when them things start to happen there is a wee thing at the back of your head going maybe it's not going to be our day. And that was creeping in.
“But we've been down nine points in previous championship games and we've come back. Burren a couple of years ago were four or five points up on us going into injury-time. We got a penalty and a late goal to win it, so we knew if we hang in there's always a chance.
“There's no given right for anyone never to get back to Croke Park. It was a nice moment to look up to the Hogan Stand to see the Kilcoo fans and what it meant to them and the emotion in their faces.
“Memories like that will stay with you forever and we're just glad we gave them that.”
