LGFA JFC - Hunger, preparation and belief is driving Killeshin to right the wrongs of 2024
Lauren Walsh, Emma Dunne, Siobhan Dowling, Caoimhe Simms, Laois LGFA Chairperson Martina Phelan, Caoimhe Fitzpatrick, Maeve Phelan, Clare Malone Killeshin nd Emma Dunne at the media night for the Junior and Intermediate finals Photo: Paul Dargan
Killeshin are back in the LOETB Junior county final for the second year in a row, eager to right the wrongs of 2024 when they suffered a heartbreaking one-point defeat to St Paul’s in Annanough. The club haven’t lifted the title since 2014, but this year’s panel believe they are better prepared than ever.
Siobhan Dowling and FLO Clare Malone spoke to the media last Friday evening at the LOETB Portlaoise Institute and outlined the hunger, preparation and belief driving Killeshin into Sunday’s decider.
Dowling admits last year’s loss was hard to take, but believes it has sharpened the team’s hunger.
“We were really disappointed last year. We had prepared very well. But look, we actually have a really good panel this year. We have both experienced players, dare I say older players, and we have a lot of younger players as well. The older players definitely pick up the younger players when they're down, and the younger girls learn a lot from them, and it's good to have the experience. We've trained very hard this year. We're training since January, and we have new trainers in this year. Mick (Malone) and Pascal (Brennan) are from Killeshin, and I suppose the words you could use to describe them is passionate. They're Killeshin through and through, so it will be great to win it not only for ourselves and for our family, but for the lads as well,” Dowling said.
For Dowling, the prospect of ending an 11-year wait for championship silverware would mean everything.
“It would be huge. The last time we won the Junior County Final was in 2014, so it's 11 long years in the making. It would mean everything to us. We're confident. Hopefully, we can do it this year.” Killeshin’s Female Liaison Officer Clare Malone says that confidence has been instilled in the squad from top to bottom, with the younger players playing a particularly important role.
“We were definitely confident last year, as we're confident again this year. But our younger girls, because they were always successful right up through their age groups, they don't see that you can't win these matches. That's a good thing from the age groups that are coming up, especially for the younger players. They don't have it instilled that, oh, we can't win. They have it instilled that we can win because they know no different. There's no reason why we can't win this match, absolutely none. The training has been put in, the management system is there, the girls and the calibre of the girls are there, the number on the panel is huge and the structure is there from the committee. Everything is there behind these girls. There's no reason why they can't go and win it.” That belief is underpinned by the strength of the squad and the standards set from early in the year. “ We have a great panel of girls and yes, they were disappointed. I'm not going to say they weren't. We lost out by a point to St. Paul's last year. Again, the girls are used to winning. They don't see, oh well, lose, lose, lose. They just see that we can do this. That's what's instilled from the management point of view. That's what has been instilled from January, from the very beginning of the year, to get us to where we are. We have two finals back-to-back. Next Saturday we have our championship final. Then we also have the league final the following weekend. We have two finals now back-to-back, which for Killeshin is unheard of. I've been involved in Killeshin for a long time; we've never had that before. It's unbelievable that we've actually had two finals back-to-back. It's a credit to the management, to the committee and to the girls for having us in that position that we've never been in before,” Malone said.
For Malone, who has been part of Killeshin ladies’ football for many years as both a player and now as the FLO, pride in the club and its people shines through.
“I've been involved in Killeshin ladies’ football for years. I came up through the ranks. I'm not playing this year. It's not that long ago since I finished up. I'm super proud of the girls, the way they're training. I'm super proud of their commitment to their fitness and their ball work. It's an absolute joy to watch them. I'm super proud of the management that has come in this year. We're lucky enough that Mick Malone and Pascal Brennan came on board. They have such experience between the two of them. The last time we won this, as Siobhan has said, was 2014. Pascal was the manager of that team. When I was playing back in 2014, I was on that panel. Mick has the experience. He's been playing football for years and years. He played football for Killeshin. He played football for Laois. He has the experience; he has trained junior under Laois as well. He has a lot of experience with girls from other teams, which benefits us. It can only benefit us to have the experience of their knowledge of other girls from other teams and their knowledge of their own playing experience as well. I'm absolutely super proud of the committee, the girls and management,” Malone ended.
