Evergreen Doyle basks in county success 27 years after Allenwood debut

Christmas Day in Allenwood. Or at least it feels like it with the joy and warmth in the air.

It's 11am at Schoil Mhuire and the school bell rings. The sky and navy blue flags that adorn the primary school and the village flutter proudly in the wind as the children tear around the playground, a little extra pep in their steps this morning.

Johnny Doyle pulls into the adjacent church car park smiling from ear to ear. His phone is hopping but all is good.

The day before, Allenwood were crowned Kildare intermediate football champions following a dramatic, one-point win over Castledermot in Netwatch Cullen Park to secure their first intermediate title since 1990.

In 2004, Doyle was part of the team that won the county senior title, spending the last two decades chasing a feeling like it again.

"I didn't know if the day would ever come back around," he says, as he prepares to join his team-mates by bringing the cup to the school.

The former All-Star and twice Championship top scorer was 36 when he finally hung up his Kildare jersey in 2014, having scored 23-579 in 159 league and championship games.

Remarkably he didn't miss one championship game for his county, playing 67 times, yet his longevity at club level is even more extraordinary.

Doyle made his debut for Allenwood in 1995 and didn't miss a single game for his club until the 2022 victory over Caragh.

It's Allenwood that always fuelled the fire, and continues to do so.

"It's just all about the club. Hard to put into words. I started with the club and I will end up playing with the club. My dad gave his life to it too, playing, treasurer, chairman. But at my age, just to be involved, not only playing, it’s incredible."

The player of the match award, weighing in with three points