Ladies Gaelic Football

20 | AUTUMN 2021 | www.ladiesgaelic.ie Focus MANAGER AN ETERNAL OPTIMIST T here were no sore losers on the Wexford side at Croke Park this September when they shipped a heavy defeat in the TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate Championship final but the blueprint is there for their successful return. All three winners on the day; Wicklow, Westmeath and Meath, lost major finals in recent seasons but they managed to compose themselves and bounce back in impressive fashion. Meath are perhaps the most obvious example, having lost two intermediate finals in 2018 and 2019 before a remarkable rise that culminated in their famous Senior Final win over the five-in-a-row chasing Dublin. Wexford came out on the wrong side of a 4-19 to 0-6 hammering but they can bounce back if they keep their heads. "There are always positives to take, I am the glass half-full type of person," said manager Lizzy Kent. "We brought a number of young players off the bench and on reflection, to be playing Division 3 football and senior football would be a big challenge. But I think there is lots of optimism there to build. "Just speaking to them afterwards, they have been on an S&C plan for a number of years. That is an element of our game that needs to be looked at and probably added to a little bit. I think it's a learning curve but you have got to bottle it and learn from it. "In relation to anything else, we are just going to reflect. It has been a whirlwind experience for the last two and a half months. We enjoyed the night of the Final because we have enjoyed the last two and a half months. "It's been a brilliant journey. Okay, losing the Final is disappointing and there is no dressing that up or saying anything different. At the same time, what these girls have achieved, the application has been incredible. I couldn't be prouder of them after the last two and a half months that we have put in together. "And Meath were beaten in two intermediate finals before they won their third. Westmeath were beaten last year. Again, I am the eternal optimist as well but I know there are great footballers in Wexford, I know there is a great tradition of football in Wexford. "But we need to build and be consistent. I think this could nearly be a watershed that we build on and go forward from here." It's been a season full of ups and downs for this Wexford team, and it began with OKAY, LOSING THE FINAL IS DISAPPOINTING ... AT THE SAME TIME WHAT THESE GIRLS HAVE ACHIEVED, THE APPLICATION HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE". Clockwise from Top Left: 1 Wexford manager Lizzy Kent. 2 Kellie Kearney, Wexford in action against Sarah Dillon, Westmeath. 3 Ciara Blundell, Westmeath in action against Aisling Halligan, Wexford. 4 Catriona Murray Wexford

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