Mo Nerney and Laois relishing the 'huge step up' in 2023

Laois ace Mo Nerney says this year's TG4 All-Ireland intermediate victory has brought the O'Moore County together and they feel like a family as they prepare to take on the might of Meath and Dublin next year.

The O'Moore County were too good for Wexford in the decider at Croke Park on 31 July.

And Nerney scored 1-05 bringing her personal tally to 5-31 (46 points) meaning she claimed the ZuCar Golden Boot award for 2022 – having finished as leading scorer in the All-Ireland championships.

But the 28-year-old Timahoe forward knows it’s all about the collective after a stunning campaign for Donie Brennan’s side.

"If you are playing a team sport it’s about being part of a team. It’s lovely to get an award like this but at the end of the day the main thing was bringing home the Mary Quinn Memorial Cup," said Nerney.

"Over the last couple of years we have been building under our manager, Donie. He has really brought a togetherness with the girls. I would have played with a lot of the girls all up along underage, and there are new younger girls that I wouldn’t have played with.

"But everyone now just gets on so well and there is a great bond between the team. It is literally like one big family. You are out training three or four nights a week. You are seeing them more than you would be seeing your own family.

"And it meant everything to win. That was our aim when Donie came in first. Laois went down to intermediate in 2017 so it has taken five years to get back. But our main goal last November was to get to the All-Ireland final.

"We did that and it was a great day, it was a great day for the people of Laois as well. There was great excitement around the county building up to it and even after it.

"And now you are going around to the