Promotion already secured, Carlow are now out to add the cherry to their cake
Carlow Róisín Bailey and Michelle Guckian of Leitrim with the Lidl National Football League Division 4 cup during the LGFA Lidl NFL Finals Captain’s Day at Lidl HQ in Tallaght Photo: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
On Sunday, Carlow travel to Grant Heating St Brendan’s Park in Birr looking to win a second Lidl National Football League Division 4 title in three years. In 2024, at the same venue, Carlow edged out Limerick by 1-7 to 0-6 to take a first ever league title at that level.
Roisin Bailey, the Carlow captain, is not reading too much into returning to the County Offaly venue.
“We are happy to go back there. We will take on Leitrim wherever it may be. The pitch is the pitch. We are just excited that we can go out and no matter where and what the weather is we will, hopefully, we will play our own game and bring our own game to Leitrim,” she says.
The champions of two years ago carry a little bit of extra pressure into the final. They won all their league games and saw off the challenge of Offaly in the semi-final. In a final group game, Carlow, away from home, beat the Westerners by 2-7 to 0-11 in a game of two halves.
Now Carlow have to find the balance between paying respect to the opposition but also bringing that self-belief in which would see them respond when the going gets tough.
“There was two points between us that day. I wouldn’t be surprised if there is even less whatever side comes out of it on Sunday. They are a really good team.
We will be absolutely taking nothing for granted. You never want to talk yourself up but we topped the group and people will say we are one of the best teams in it,” notes Bailey who suggests that the Carlow improvement has been massive in recent years.
“I have full belief and I have said to the girls that on a given day we can take on any team but Leitrim are absolutely excellent. We saw that there a couple of weeks ago. We went in seven points down. Thankfully we were able to turn the game around and come out with the win.
Bailey knows the names of many of the opposition players.
“Michelle Guckian controls everything and is well able to kick a two-pointer if asked to do so. They have girls who have played underage soccer for Ireland.
Ailbhe Clancy, Leah Fox and Muireann Devaney. Super footballers. A lot of them are in the forwards but that is not to say they don’t have a solid defence too. Definitely there will be a lot of threats. Especially for (our) management to figure out how to stop them.”
It has been an historic week for Carlow’s men’s and ladies football teams. Both teams are doing brilliantly and they have to find a way to enjoy their successes but not allow it to affect their preparation for future games.
“We train on Wednesdays so we were able to go out on Sunday night and celebrate with the lads. Our feet are firmly on the ground. The league is the league. We said we want to be promoted but a final is a bonus. We will focus on it for the next two weeks. After that, our real goal is the championship and we will be moving on. Yes our feet are on the ground and, hopefully, it will stay that way.”
There was a time when one or two players all but dominated the scoring stats in this Carlow team. That has changed. Aibha Kiernan scored two goals against Offaly. Edel Hayden also picked off two valuable points. The captain was one of several players who chipped in with a point.
“It is something I keep harping on to the girls about. The ability of this team has no boundaries,” suggests Bailey.
“There are some super footballers in there. Yes, Clíodhna Ní Shé is one of the best footballers in Carlow but now it is so good that players can step up when needed. Teams can mark one player but it is tough for them when they have more than one footballer to mark. The girls are working really well together.
In Carlow, over the years, we have had some really good footballers but it is about getting that cohesion which you can see this year.”
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