Chasing an elusive county senior medal with Mullagh

Talking Sport with Stephen Glennon

MULLAGH captain Therese Manton remembers those days, when after an All-Ireland senior camogie defeat with Galway, she had to force herself out from under the duvet, dust down the boots and return to club action. She admits it wasn’t easy.

This year, though, Manton’s emotional rollercoaster has enjoyed more highs than lows, with September’s All-Ireland final victory, at long last, securing her a first senior medal on her fourth attempt. No wonder she has returned to her club with renewed vigour.

“In 2011, in particular, when we lost the final [to Wexford], it was difficult to put back on the boots and go back training. Where this year, I couldn’t wait to go back to Mullagh and see the girls and bring back the experiences of winning an All-Ireland final.

“I wanted to tell the girls that winning a final is special but I also wanted to go back to the club and thank them for all the support they had given us over the year. It was fantastic.”

In all, Mullagh had five players involved in Galway’s All-Ireland senior and intermediate winning panels last month – Sarah Dervan, Sinead Cahalan, Aoife Donohoe and Karen Kennedy were the others – and that experience has, no doubt, played a part in the club reaching Sunday’s county senior final against Ardrahan in Loughrea (4pm).

“I suppose, from both Mullagh and Ardrahan, we have strong players on the county teams and the experiences of winning the two All-Irelands (senior and intermediate) has boosted both clubs.

“Ardrahan (who also had five players involved) have great players in Rebecca Hennelly, Shauna Healy, Aoife Callanan, Sarah Keehan and Aoife Lynskey and they definitely bring a lot to their club and the girls admire them.

“You would have to admire Ardrahan because it is a club of strong camogie players and strong county players. They are a club that works and gels very well together. You can see it in the county team.”

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.