Fáilte chuig gaa.ie - suíomh oifigiúil CLG

Hurling

David Dooley happy to take on the responsibility for Laois

David Dooley of Laois during a Joe McDonagh Cup Final media day at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Tyler Miller/Sportsfile

David Dooley of Laois during a Joe McDonagh Cup Final media day at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Tyler Miller/Sportsfile

By Paul Keane

In his first season as a Laois senior hurler, David Dooley was dispatched to the launch of last year's All-Ireland SHC in Clare to speak to the media on behalf of the team.

Tony Kelly of Clare, Wexford's Lee Chin, two ultra experienced and iconic hurling figures, five-time All-Ireland winning Limerick forward Seamus Flanagan and Kilkenny's Paddy Deegan were there too.

It was a measure of Dooley's standing within the Laois panel, just weeks after making his Allianz League debut, that he was picked and when the 2025 season rolled around, he was handed the captaincy.

"I snatched his hand off when I got the call," said Dooley of being presented with the armband by manager Tommy Fitzgerald. "I wasn't really expecting it because there are so many big leaders within the group."

Still just 22, responsibility has come quickly at the Rosenallis clubman but he has thrived, starting all 11 of their Allianz League and Championship games so far this season.

And he could just be the man to get his hands on the Joe McDonagh Cup if Laois can complete a rollercoaster campaign by beating Kildare in Sunday's Croke Park final.

Not that Dooley's speedy development and rapid ascension up through the Laois senior ranks has come as a surprise to those that know him.

When he modestly references that he 'kind of gave rugby a bit of a shot' for a couple of years, in 2022 and 2023, he doesn't mention that he was with the Leinster Academy and that he trained with the first team on a couple of occasions.

Prior to that, he'd been called into the Laois senior hurling panel but couldn't play because he was too young. So an inter-county hurling career was always in the back of his mind, even when tossing an oval ball around as a highly rated centre.

"It didn't really work out in the end," he said of rugby. "I kind of went at it initially for the fact that there was the potential of a career in it, that was huge for me. I always dreamed of playing professionally at something but look, it didn't work out for me in the end.

"The fact that I had Laois hurling and GAA in general to come back to was absolutely massive for me. It's been absolutely brilliant coming back into it. To be honest, when I was away from it, I did miss it a lot.

"I would have still went to all the Laois hurling matches, and even club matches. I was probably still going into training even, just to meet the lads.

"They're the lads you grew up with. It was always a dream of mine to play for Laois. My father had played for Laois beforehand and it was something that was probably bred into me from a young age. So it was special to come back and to be involved again."

David Dooley of Laois during the 2024 Joe McDonagh Cup final between Laois and Offaly at Croke Park. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile

David Dooley of Laois during the 2024 Joe McDonagh Cup final between Laois and Offaly at Croke Park. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Despite making his senior debut at the start of last year's league, Sunday's Joe McDonagh Cup final will be Dooley's second decider having lined out in the 2024 loss to Carlow.

You could say they're fortunate to have made it back to this weekend's showpiece, or ultra resilient, having conjured a late, late goal to draw with Carlow in the final round, edging out Carlow on scoring difference in the table.

"If that goal hadn't gone in, a Carlow man would be sitting here talking to you instead of me," said Dooley, who described the final few moments in that game as 'mayhem'.

"It came down to a very fine margin at the end of it all and we're just grateful that we were on the right side of it."

Throw in the fact that Kildare, who Laois will play on Sunday, defeated them by 4-20 to 1-18 when they met in the group and you can understand just why Dooley is taking nothing for granted.

"Kildare were really well set up for us," said Dooley. "(That) put us back a bit maybe. Stunned us. But they were very well worth the win. They're a great side. They're athletic, physical and can all hurl extremely well. We'll definitely have our work cut out this weekend."

Kildare won the Christy Ring Cup title just last year yet are on the verge now of Leinster SHC activity in 2026, a romantic tale that has captured the imagination of hurling neutrals.

"To put in the performances they have and to be able to hurl as well as they are, it's incredible to see," acknowledged Dooley. "They're an incredible side. Like I said, they're physical, they're strong, and they can hurl. It's going to be incredibly tough on Sunday because they set up very well. They counteracted our plan really well the last day. We'll have our work cut out for sure."