Mohan thrilled for former team-mates

Nuala Mohan is a former Carlow footballer. Her heartbreak is not quite as intense to what Mayo people had experienced before last Sunday but she knows all about losing All-Ireland semi-finals and being deprived of a day in Croke Park with the Carlow footballers.

The Monaghan native stepped aside from intercounty football just four years ago. She is thrilled that many of her former team-mates have finally made it to an All-Ireland final.

“To be honest, I am absolutely delighted for them. Without question, I am delighted for them. Over the years, you see the hard work, you see the commitment and you see the passion the girls have and the passion we all have to get to Croke Park. To see it come to fruition, it is just unbelievable. I am so delighted. I would also say that from day dot, I have seen the level of talent that is within the county,” Nuala says.

“I have always known it would be achieved some day. It could have been any one of the years. They have just been so unlucky to lose semi-finals and to get over the line against Derry was absolutely brilliant.” 

Ed Burke is the manager of the Carlow team. She concedes he has been a major factor in getting the players to this stage. Mohan says the hard work had also been put in long before the Tipperary man arrived in Carlow.

“The first year I came in Bart Gilmartin was manager and you talk about passion for Carlow football. He has it. Ed is there now and has put systems in place. The likes of Bart and Gerry McGuill as well. It has all been stepping stones. We have always known the potential is in the county. It has been a long time coming but it has been worth waiting for.” Mohan watched Carlow going through their unbeaten run this year.

“Ed is a huge factor. The last year I played was the first year he came in. Maybe he brings a different outlook on it. Maybe as an outsider coming in to the county is one thing. From talking to the girls this year, the bond that is in the team, the craic that they have. There is something different about it this year. Everyone gets on really well.” 

Carlow take on Antrim in the final. Last year, the Northerners enjoyed a similar season to what Carlow did this year when winning sixteen games out of sixteen. Louth beat them by two points in the Croke Park decider.

At the start of the campaign, Antrim would have been a lot of people’s favourites but Carlow have won seventeen games and the hope is that they can finish the season unbeaten.” 

Mohan says this Carlow team is battle hardened.

“It will be hard on Antrim to watch all the players. That is one thing I have noticed this year. Different players are stepping up at different times. There are different people willing to step up and take responsibility.

“Even against Derry in the first fifteen minutes nerves were a factor and the goals eventually came. There seems to be a great attitude in the team. It has been coming for the last number of years and it is great to see it happening now.”