Special bond drives incredible success for Bennekerry/Tinryland

What would Kathleen have said? Player of the Match and now the holder of a Leinster intermediate football championship medal, Leah Mullins was not so sure what words her late mother would have used to describe her joy. After a moment’s thought, the Bennekerry-Tinryland defender finally found her feet.

“I don’t know. Actually I don’t know. I just know my Mammy would have been extremely proud of what this team have achieved. Bar my daughter being born, I can say she would have said this is the proudest moment of her life,” said Leah.

“It is raw. It is still raw. It is her second anniversary this weekend. I know she is looking down at me. I know she is here. We are so lucky that we have our loved ones here with us physically but she is also looking down at us,” she said while going on to talk about another special person who lost her life in a tragic accident three years ago. The initials of her name had been embroidered on each jersey.

“This is Amanda Kinsella,” pointed out Mullins.

“She is still very much part of our squad. AK for Amanda. Every jersey has AK on the shoulder. These are our 2021 jerseys. It was our first county final without Amanda. We got that put on our jerseys and we won that county final for Amanda. We are still winning up to this day for Amanda” said Leah.

An iconic moment of the game was surely the sight of Leah Mullins appearing from no-where to sweep the ball off the line when Dee Rangers looked certain to find the net.

Mullins was having none of that talk however.

“Shannen made the block. I only scooped it out. Shannen made a point blank save as well later on. Shannen kept us in that game in the early stages,” she said while confirming that the entire panel trusted each other and were extremely close.

“We knew if we could get to half-time and be in that game that this was our game for the taking. We knew we could push on. We knew we could back ourselves. We have belief in ourselves. We knew we would work for each other. We are a team of Moms. We don’t have to say our names. We know who we are talking to. We just say Mom. We are just so close as a team. We live for each other.” 

 Nuala Mohan has won two senior football club titles with Foxrock Cabinteely. Special moments for certain but she hinted that this one was extra-special.

“It is probably the best one. I am coming near the end of my playing time. You really appreciate it then,” she explained. Mohan paid tribute to the management team.

“Huge credit must go to them. Niall Barrett came in in 2021. He has stepped back since but was there the last couple of weeks to help out. Chris Townsend was a selector last year but he has stepped up to a full role this year. The thing about it he makes it enjoyable. He makes it fun,” the centre-half back said while not forgetting about those who have not made the journey with them.

“There is so much work put in over the years. We have had so many injuries. We lost Amanda Kinsella. Amanda’s Mam and Dad were at the game last week. Just to be able to go up to them which was really special. She is looking down on us,” Mohan stated.