Paul Mannion says motivation comes easy to Kilmacud Crokes as the holders continued their winning ways in the club football championship.
The All-Ireland champions march into the last four, where it will fall upon either Glen or Scotstown to deny Crokes a third successive final appearance.
Since the club's Dublin title in 2018 – a first county success in eight years – Crokes have lost just four times in 50 championship outings.
Speaking after the full-time whistle, Dublin star Mannion was asked what keeps the group so motivated.
"It’s the same as with Dublin, you are just trying to focus on one game at a time," he told RTÉ Sport.
"We know this is a massive achievement for the club. What keeps us coming back is this feeling. It’s easy when you are winning and you are being successful, but for years there we weren’t.
"That was the hard part, getting everyone together, a good management team that really believes in the team.
"We’re riding on the crest of a wave now and we’ll hopefully keep it going."
Fellow inter-county star Shane Walsh scooped the player of the match award with 1-08, his craftily-taken injury-time goal putting a gloss on the final scoreline.
Naas commit everyone forward before Shane Walsh goes on the charge to seal the Leinster SFC Final for Kilmacud Crokes!
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) December 2, 2023
📺 @RTE2 & @RTEplayer https://t.co/AKAre5FHdN…
📻 Updates on Saturday Sport on @RTERadio1 pic.twitter.com/OAYp5wgZkX
The Galway forward kicked into an empty net from distance following a turnover high up the pitch, but said Naas’ desperation to push forward at the end, including goalkeeper Luke Mullins, was crucial to the score.
"To be honest, I knew the space was in behind Doyler (Eoin) when I kicked it past him," he told RTÉ Sport.
"I took a solo and spotted the goalkeeper out, so it was about getting past the last defender and sitting it into the goal.
"It was a nice way to finish a game rather than it going the other way."
