Burke insists on “15 player football” in a mix of defence and attack
Sara Doyle shows great pace to get around Sligo's Ciara Walsh. Photos: Pat Ahern.
It’s been a triumphant return to the helm of the Carlow LGFA team for manager, Ed Burke, but the Moyle Rovers clubman, is quick to deflect the praise to his players and he did so again on Sunday after a comfortable ten point victory over Sligo in Round 2 of the TG4 LGFA Junior Championship.
“We’re delighted. Being gone for a year, I suppose, probably helped me and probably helped them (the players) as well because they have experienced a little bit different and learned new things but we’re back here and we have fifteen wins out of fifteen this year so we are flying it at the moment,” he said.
“We played Sligo in the very first game in the League and we played well that day and we didn’t think we could come out a play a little bit worse and Sligo could catch you. I think today we played well, did we play our best, maybe not, but when you get a ten-point win and probably left a few scores behind us we’re delighted with that victory,” the manager added.
Burke espouses “15 player football” with players given licences to move forward from defence or move back from attack.
“From an attacking point of view from Aoibheann (Webb) and Ruth (Bermingham) on the wings and then from the forwards you see Cliodhna (Ní Shé) putting the ball over the bar and the I see her block down inside on ‘21. Everybody knows that when we attack, we attack and when we defend, we defend,” he explained.
The Carlow manager agreed that his side’s two goals on thirteen minutes and two minutes before half time were crucial and came at crucial times initially after a tight opening quarter and then when Sligo responded well to the concession of the first goal.
“Yeah. they were. Sligo had a couple of periods there in the game but I suppose we played Limerick last week and we were 1-2 to no score down after two minutes so we knew that we had to start well today or Sligo were going to punish us. I think we were delighted to be just nip and tuck for the first twenty minutes but we all know our fitness, our physicality, our speed and it’s going to take a superior team to beat us,” Burke said.
Player of the match Aoibhin Webb was listed to play at wing back but she also had licence to go forward she managed to move forward at every opportunity, without neglecting her defensive duties, contributing three points. was quick to praise her manager for that licence to move forward.
“A lot of licence, thanks to this man,” she said, pointing to manager, Ed Burke. “I get back when I can but it’s great having that licence to go forward because it gives you that bit of freedom and it’s good to you that your trusted,” Aoibheann told us.
With Carlow now unbeaten in 15 games and with two trophies already on the sideboard, the Bennekerry/Tinryland player was asked to explain the difference in Carlow this year after a disappointing 2025.
“I think the group we have has just gelled really well, management wise and player wise. Everybody has just bought into what we are trying to do and everybody believes in what we are doing. There is no second guessing any decisions. Everybody knows why we are here, we here to work hard, we’re here to win and it’s going well so far,” she said.
There were plenty of candidates for this Award. Denise McGrath and Leah Duffy performed particularly well for Sligo while Clíodhna Ní Shé and Sara Doyle, with their deeper roles, and Aibha Kiernan with her goal and a couple of points, were outstanding candidates for Carlow. The Award however goes to Carlow right half back, Aoibheann Webb, who demonstrates the mantra of her manager, “when we attack, we attack and when we defend, we defend”.
The Bennekerry/Tinryland player never neglected her defensive duties and along with her half back partner and clubmate, Ruth Bermingham, she moved forward at every occasion. She probed for scores for others and also popped over three points of her over and was therefore a worthy Player of the Match.
The sides were level for the third time in the game after twelve minutes of play when Leah Duffy pointed for Sligo but from the kick out from that score, Ruth Bermingham moved the ball into the Sligo half, fed Amy Hanley who in turn found full forward, Sara Doyle.
The St Brigid’s player still had plenty to do but she sold dummies before unleashing a powerful shot into the top left-hand corner of the Sligo net to give Carlow a lead they were never to relinquish.
Sara Doyle could claim that her goal was the turning point in the game but Aibha Kiernan’s goal just before half time might have a better shout. Sligo had responded well to the concession of the first goal and were gaining a bit of momentum.
A fine Carlow move ended with Kiernan palming the ball to the net to put her side six points up and it dampened the Sligo comeback.
Carlow will travel to London on Saturday next for Round 3 knowing an All-Ireland semi-final spot is very much in their own hands.
