Burke's sights firmly set on promotion for Carlow ladies
The Carlow team line up before their game against Offaly in Faithful Fields last month. The teams meet against in a Division 4 semi-final on Sunday
When these two sides met up in Daingean in their fourth round game in February there was only two points between them as goals from Aibha Kiernan and Clíodhna Ní Shé helped the visitors to a 2-8 to 0-12 victory.
For Offaly, Caoimhe Lynam, Tara Tyrell, Eve Kelly and Emma Hand all notched two points each which suggests the Midlanders have a blend of players who are well capable of taking their scores.
Offaly finished fourth on twelve points in the league table with Carlow unbeaten at the top. The closeness of the game between the two sides also suggests that the table doesn’t quite tell the truth on how good Offaly actually are. Ed Burke, the Carlow manager, agrees.
“It will be a tough game. They were five points up on us at half-time in the league. Conditions were tough and they are a tough team to face,” he says.
Yet he backs his players to produce a performance.
“We know this is a once-off game. We are confident in our own ability we have shown so far this year,” he says.
Carlow’s last game was a league win away from home against Leitrim. They haven’t had a meaningful game of late. They have trained together since.
“We just had to train hard unfortunately. A lot of hard training over the last two weeks. We will taper it down from here,” Burke acknowledges.
A win here would assure Carlow of promotion and a place in a league final. According to the manager, that would be progress and the championship is still to come.
“One game at a time,” says Burke.
“If we get promoted that is great and then we have a final. That in itself is a successful season. Even if we don’t win another game this year.”
