LGFA: ALL-IRELAND INTERMEDIATE CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL PREVIEW
Naomh Ciaran can give big boost to Offaly ladies scene – Gavin Mangan
DAIRE WALSH
AMY Gavin Mangan believes an All-Ireland triumph for Naomh Ciaran at Kingspan Breffni Park on Saturday would do wonders for ladies football in Offaly.
An established figure on the inter-county scene, Mangan is set to play a pivotal for Naomh Ciaran in their quest for intermediate glory.
“It would just give it such a kick. It would really show that there is massive ability in Offaly. We just need to get the girls into the Offaly panel, really. Not just from Naomh Ciaran, but from other clubs as well,” said Amy in Croke Park on Monday last.
“Hopefully we did go to win the All-Ireland, then it would really give a lift to Offaly ladies football, the younger girls and everything. The support at the matches is just unbelievable from them. They’re like little cheerleaders on the sideline, it’s brilliant. It’s just showing that they’re really into it at the moment. They’re following us and they want to be where we are.”
Standing in the way of the Ferbane-based side this weekend will be Antrim outfit Naomh Pol, who squeezed past St Nathy’s (Sligo) in a low-scoring semi-final on November 10. In Ferbane on the same day, Naomh Ciaran secured a magnificent extra-time victory over Inch Rovers of Cork.
Despite the presence of Jess O’Shea and Annie Walsh – notable county stars of the recent past – in the opposite corner, an inward focus ultimately propelled Naomh Ciaran into their maiden national showcase.
“Before in other games, we’ve just said to ourselves ‘look, don’t focus on the opposition’. Management have kept that at bay an awful lot. We’re just told to play our game and just do what we can,” said Amy.
“Obviously you’re going to see things online, like such and such has however many All-Ireland medals with Cork. I did myself actually see a few of the names. I was kind of fearing it then. But you just realise ‘Jesus, we’re up to that standard as well. We’re able to keep them quiet’. You just have confidence in the backs to be able to manage people like these.”
Throughout a memorable 2019 season, Kate Kenny has been the go-to player in the Naomh Ciaran attack. A talented dual performer, the full-forward contributed an astonishing tally of 1-10 in their defeat of Inch Rovers.
Despite weighing heavily on Kenny in that encounter, Mangan insists there are others who are capable of stepping up to the plate when required.
“She [Kenny] is just a superstar really. We’re very lucky to have her. She’s just so talented,” said the Ballycumber native. “There are girls around her that can play just as good as well. Kate does get the scores, but we do rely on an awful lot of other girls as well. We’re very lucky to have very strong forwards. The likes of Ellee McEvoy as well in there. Roisin Egan, who came off the bench the other day, she was unreal as well. Kate is unbelievable. Thank God that she’s so good and we can rely on her so much. At the same time, we’re confident in the players we have around her as well, to play off her.”
In addition to boosting the club scene, Gavin Mangan is hopeful Naomh Ciaran’s achievements can have a galvanising effect on the county set-up. While Offaly’s year ended in a narrow reversal to Sligo at the intermediate grade, there is considerable scope for improvement in 2020.
“I think we were lucky to get to the All-Ireland quarter-final. Offaly isn’t going the best at the moment, but hopefully the next few years we’ll just build and build. Getting the players in – that’s the main struggle at the moment, from my perspective anyway.
“The set-up is getting there and they’re doing what they need to do at the moment. Hopefully now that we’ve got to the All-Ireland final, they can kind of see that there is still football in Offaly. That we can build from it and we will get there again,” Gavin Mangan added.