Bailey overcome by welcome home to Carlow
A section of the huge crowd that attended the Carlow ladies football team homecoming
As the players filed onto the stage at the homecoming for the Carlow team who had played themselves to a standstill they got a tremendous welcome from the large crowd who had come to honour a side who had played in the county’s first first All-Ireland final in Croke Park.
Captain, Roisin Bailey, said afterwards that when it came to grabbing this particular moment it was important to put everything into prospective.
“When the final whistle went we were heart-broken. To come here and see the crowd who have come out to welcome us even with the loss, you couldn’t but smile at it. It has been incredible. What we have had over the last couple of weeks has been incredible. For me to sit around with a sulky face would not have been the plan,” she said and pointed to the hundreds of young and old dressed in the colours of the team.
“We are lucky to have such support and to see all those young supporters is brilliant,” stated Bailey.
She said the players would not let the season finish now.
“This is going to go on all week. Today was not what we wanted but we have had an incredible year and we want to celebrate that.
“Our manager said it was a disappointing high. With game after game we have not had a chance to acknowledge our achievements. Even today, to be the first ladies team to get to Croke Park, we need to enjoy that. We need to celebrate that.”
There was no All-Ireland cup to show to the supporters but Bailey says the group is ambitious and is not going to let all the last numbers of years effort end because of one defeat.
“Such a young team. Forget about age. The belief is what matters. The belief that is in this group. You could feel it in the dressing room after. This group is not done yet. We want to be playing intermediate football. We want to play senior football maybe in a few years’ time. Intermediate is our first task. The belief that is in this group is what makes a good team, what makes a team to bounce back and that is what we will do next year,” predicted the Carlow midfielder.
The Carlow ladies football team enjoying the craic at the homecoming.
The Carlow ladies team arrive in style to the homecoming at Haymarket.
Maeve O'Neill gives a wave as the Carlow ladies arrive in Haymarket.
Shannen Cotter salutes the crowd at Haymarket
