Johnny Doyle on county success at 45: ‘That’s as good a day as we’ve ever had’

John Doyle is standing on a small wall, lifting one of his daughters over a narrow metal fence. All around him is chaos, flash bulbs and bearhugs and auld fellas yahooing and young wans screaming.

Doyle is 45 years young. He has just scored three points for Allenwood in their Kildare intermediate football final victory over Castledermot – and not by operating as cute, stationary full forward.

No, he wore number eight and played as a hard-running, game-controlling midfielder, making fetches in front of his own goal and creating scoring opportunities at the other end.

When he was announced as man of the match, his team-mates broke out in a spontaneous chorus of, “Only one Johnny Doyle, there’s only one Johnny Doyle ... ”

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His midfield partner on Sunday was Rory Moran, 25 years Doyle’s junior. The player who scored the winning point, Jack O’Brien, is also only 20. O’Brien made his championship debut in 2022. Doyle made his in 1996.

“Usually when I’m talking to you lads, it’s a hard luck story,” smiles Doyle on the pitch moments after the cup presentation.

He’s not lying. Doyle has lost more than he has ever won during his career, but there is no cup big enough to hold the love that enveloped him in the aftermath of Sunday’s Kildare intermediate final at Netwatch Cullen Park. Whether it be life or football, you get out what you put in.

“I can’t believe it,” he says. “I’m 45. I was lucky, I played in three senior finals, won one. I never thought Allenwood would win a senior championship.

“I grew up out on the field, my Da was here in the middle of the field the last time we won, wearing number eight. My kids are here wearing number eight on their back today.

“Family is just ... the club is everything to us. I know it’s the same with every club but our club is special to us and that’s as good a day as we’ve ever had.”

The last time Allenwood won a Kildare intermediate title was in 1990, and Doyle was a team mascot that day. He graduated to the senior panel in 1995 and made his championship debut the following year.

In October 2004 he scored 0-6 as they won their one and only Kildare senior championship

After hanging up his intercounty boots in 2014, Doyle could have chosen to dine out on his 15-year Kildare career, which included an All Star in 2010, and get busy doing something else with his life. But his service to Allenwood has been immense and steadfast.

Despite his role as a coach-selector with the Kildare senior football team, at the start of this season Doyle told Allenwood manager Noel Mooney that he would lace up the boots whenever he could and for whatever role they wanted him to fill.

“I said, ‘Listen, Tuesday and Thursday are going to be tied up with Kildare, but I’m willing to help, whatever you want. If it’s five minutes, if it’s no time, it’s whatever you want.’

Mooney told Doyle to keep himself right – which wasn’t too hard for a man who ran the Dublin Marathon last year – and if required he’d be called upon. Predictably, Doyle was called upon.

“In fairness to him, he picked me. And the boys know my heart is with the team all the time and whenever I can I try to get back to support the lads.”

Allenwood were seconds away from exiting the championship at the quarter-final stages only for Doyle to kick a 65th-minute equaliser against Caragh, which sent the game to extra-time.

And on Sunday he was at it again, Doyle registered two frees in the first half while his third point momentarily appeared to have decided the game – a long-range effort from play edging Allenwood 0-10 to 1-6 ahead with just two minutes of normal time remaining.

But when Castledermot pulled level seconds later, it seemed a replay was on the cards. Only for O’Brien, on the pitch just two minutes, to pop over an injury-time winner for Allenwood.

“It was just such a battle,” said Doyle. “Whenever they got an attack, you were fearing they’d score because they have such quality.

“In fairness to Jack O’Brien, he’s the smallest man in Allenwood with the quickest step. He’s just able to find a gap – and what a way to win it.

“It’s been a huge year for us. To be beaten twice in the championship and still be here on the last day and to win, it’s up there with anything I’ve ever experienced. I’m absolutely delighted.”

And the journey isn’t over yet. Allenwood now progress to the Leinster club intermediate championship, where they will face Westmeath champions St Malachy’s in a provincial quarter-final in two weeks.

And next season there is the prize of senior football.

“We won’t worry about senior for a while,” smiles the evergreen Doyle when asked about the possibility of playing at the top level of Kildare football at the age of 46.

“But look, we’ll really enjoy this for a day or two and then we’ll dust ourselves down and go again.”

John Doyle knows no other way.