Shanahoe determined to make swift senior return

SHANAHOE are hoping to make an immediate return to the senior ranks when they face Killeshin in Saturday’s Laois LGFA Intermediate Football Championship final at Laois Hire O’Moore Park.

Relegated from senior football last year, Shanahoe have responded impressively and now stand one win away from bouncing straight back. Captain Isabel Finlay was delighted to see her side come through a tough semi-final against Ballyfin.

“It wasn't easy, they always put it up to us. They're a very good side, but we dug deep and we got the win, thankfully,” she said.

Manager Tony Delaney believes Shanahoe were unfortunate to be relegated in the first place, pointing to a series of injuries that disrupted their campaign from the opening round.

“We were unlucky last year. We shouldn't be in the position we're in because of injuries. We would consider ourselves strong enough to be senior, but we had bad luck,” he said.

This year's campaign has also seen several younger players step up. Goalkeeper Niamh Stackpool has settled into the side following Eimear Barry's departure, while Maya Donoghue, Molly Cassin and Maeve Hennessy have all made important contributions. Managing player workloads has become a challenge, particularly for those balancing football and camogie commitments.

That crossover between the two sports is a significant feature of the Shanahoe set-up. Players often face each other in camogie before returning to line out together in football, a dynamic the management believes benefits everyone involved.

“The footballers always play very well when they play camogie. They're much faster and fitter and you can see the difference in training,” Delaney and his management team noted.

Saturday will be the fourth meeting of Shanahoe and Killeshin this year, highlighting just how closely matched the sides are. Their league encounter ended in a draw, Shanahoe won the league semi-final by three points, while Killeshin prevailed by the same margin in the championship group stages.

“Technically it's a draw over the three games,” Delaney said. “We're well matched.” That familiarity has only added to Shanahoe's respect for their opponents.

“We're not taking anything for granted. We have the highest respect for them. It's always hard to get out of intermediate because the standard is so strong,” the management team said.

While Shanahoe's immediate focus is on the final, a return to senior football would represent a major achievement after last year's disappointment.

“We want to get over the line in the final first,” Finlay said. “Our aim is to win the final. Just to stay together and keep pushing on, it would mean everything.” History is also on Shanahoe's side. The club has won the Intermediate Championship on four previous occasions, most recently in 2023, while earlier successes came in 1998, 2018 and 2020.

One player who links several generations of Shanahoe football is Mary Griffin. The former Laois star remains a hugely influential figure within the club, both on and off the field. Griffin was part of Laois's All-Ireland-winning team in 2001 and continues to inspire younger players while still making valuable contributions on the pitch.

“It's amazing. You can't help but learn from her,” Finlay said. “She's a great team player, a great role model and the girls rise to the occasion when she comes on.” Griffin's influence extends beyond matchdays. She remains heavily involved in coaching underage players and is regarded as one of the club's most important mentors.

Former International Rules player O'Brien joked that Griffin's persistence was responsible for bringing him to Shanahoe's coaching set-up.

“She pestered me for about three months to come to Shanahoe and train the girls. I kept saying no, but here I am two years later, still here,” he laughed.

A major strength of the club has been the growing bond between its junior and intermediate squads. Rather than operating as separate panels, players have increasingly blended together throughout the season, creating healthy competition for places.

“The intermediate girls have been at most of the junior matches and vice versa,” O'Brien said. “You've 27 or 28 players competing for 15 jerseys now. It's brilliant.” The club's unique identity is also reflected in its wide catchment area. Although Shanahoe itself is a small community, the club brings together players from several neighbouring areas, creating a strong sense of unity and belonging.

“That's what makes the sport good,” Delaney said. “Shanahoe is such a small place, but girls come from Castletown, Trumera, Mountrath, The Harps, Raheen, Borris-Kilcotton and Clough-Ballacolla. They're all great friends and they all come together for Shanahoe.” After the disappointment of relegation 12 months ago, Shanahoe now have the chance to complete an immediate recovery. Standing in their way is a talented Killeshin side, but with experience, emerging young talent and a strong club spirit behind them, Shanahoe will be confident they can take the final step and secure a return to senior football.