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3rd December 2023
11:36am GMT

Sean Currie scored 1-1 for Na Fianna.[/caption]
Despite playing at centre back, the Kilkenny senior was O'Loughlin Gaels' best attacking threat, scoring five points from play from a variety of angles and distances all through.
Even during Na Fianna's desperate late bid for possession, Deegan was the presence that wouldn't stand aside, sprinting out with ball after ball, winning break after break when his side needed him most.
"They talk about building your team around your centre-back," said Westmeath hurling manager Joe Fortune fittingly in his role as RTÉ commentator.
"There's no better epitomisation of that than Paddy Deggan, he has been colossal today."
Meanwhile, Deegan's former Kilkenny team-mate Richie Hogan hailed the centre back for how he has improved his long-range score taking.
"Paddy Deegan was immense. He's a great individual defender.
"He has an amazing engine. And what he's really, really improved is his long-range score-taking.
"He was always able to get them when he was coming up into the forwards but the first one he scored today was about ninety yards out.
"And that's a huge addition. Because it means you can't leave him free."https://twitter.com/TheSundayGame/status/1730983910094385393 O'Loughlin Gaels got off to a brighter start but exuding composure and calmness in possession, the local side played their way into the contest. Liam Rushe and Kevin Burke in particular, came out on top of their defensive duels and that set the platform for the Curries and AJ Murphy to make hay up front. Still, Na Fianna never led the game by more than two points with Deegan and his half-back partner David Fogarty keeping the favourites in the game. They scored seven points between them and with Mark Bergin and Conor Heary carrying the load up front, they held out for a famous win under the Croke Park lights. Minus the services of their star forward Donal Burke, Na Fianna, meanwhile, will take plenty of heart from a year that saw them win their first ever Dublin SHC. https://twitter.com/TheSundayGame/status/1731004527136923941 After the game, Deegan, who also scored the winning point in the Kilkenny final against Ballyhale, told RTÉ's Ger Canning of the character in this team. When informed by Canning that he had scored five from play, he also said that he would be letting his team-mates know all about it during the celebrations. "I actually didn't know that (it was five points), but I'll let the boys know about that later on," he said. "They got a run on us in the second half, and we weathered it and came back strong at the end." Read more:
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