Team captains Ryan and Keane stay focused ahead of glory bid

THE opportunity to captain Galway in an All-Ireland camogie final is something Lorraine Ryan is looking forward to, but the team’s focus on their upcoming contest against Kilkenny hasn’t wavered as they aim to finally get their hands on the O’Duffy Cup. After their opening day championship defeat to Sunday’s opponents, the Tribeswomen are back on track but know the work isn’t finished yet.

“Ever since the first round of the championship, we’ve been taking it step-by-step,” says Ryan as she looks towards the trip to Croke Park. “And we definitely have progressed every game so, hopefully, we can progress again.  We can’t just stay at the same pace, the same level. We need to up it again another 20 or 30% if we’re going to get a win against Kilkenny.”

Galway have defeated Wexford twice, Clare, Derry and Tipperary to earn their fourth All-Ireland final appearance in six seasons and have taken the experiences from each game to get a settled squad ahead of their second meeting with the Leinster side.

“It was the first round of the championship,” adds Ryan. “Galway definitely didn’t perform like we were able.  We had another week before Wexford and that Wexford game really did set us off for the championship and we have progressed continuously since then.  So we have taken positives from it, we’ve learned from our mistakes from it.”

There’s plenty of experience in the Ryan family of All-Ireland final days. Her aunt Anne (Forde) lifted the All-Ireland club trophy for Pearses in 1997 while her father Pascal was a member of the breakthrough Galway hurling squad from 1980.

“Of course, yeah, she (Forde) gives me advice.  Anne is very cool, is very calm, is very level headed about it all.  And yeah, she just keeps me focused and it’s great to have her there. 

“Dad was involved with Galway in 1980 and my uncle who has passed away. I’m sure he’ll be looking down on me as well and no more than Anne, they’ll be definitely hitting every ball with us on the day.”

The achievement of two Galway teams to qualify for All-Ireland final Sunday has created a huge boost in the county and the Killimordaly woman acknowledges how special it is for the senior side to have their intermediate team-mates on the road to Dublin.

“It’s absolutely brilliant and it kind of happened unknown to us really, because the teams were taking it step-by-step and we were taking each match as it came. So with the two of us both in the final, it’s great for the sport, it’s great for the families and everyone in Galway.”

This year’s intermediate captain is Sinead Keane and while the seniors may be getting the most attention, she knows her side have an equally important task when they face Limerick chasing a third crown.

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