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22 | AUTUMN 2021 | www.ladiesgaelic.ie relegation from Division 2 of the Lidl National Football League. Wexford were dumped into a relegation play-off against Tyrone in Dunleer on 20 June and that was a devastating outing. Tyrone scored 11-7 in their win and after relegation, Lizzy Kent was tasked with returning Wexford to past glories. Wexford were one of the dominant forces in Ladies football during the 1980s, when they reached three All-Ireland finals, while they were Junior champions in 2014. And even though this is a long- term project for Kent, the players upped their levels immediately and upset the odds to reach the TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate final. But that didn't add any gloss to the scoreline against Westmeath. "We were disappointed with the first half, we were all disappointed," said Kent. "We said that wasn't Wexford, that performance wasn't Wexford. Yes, Westmeath came and enforced their game on us but we were making mistakes that weren't Wexford mistakes. "We were starting to revert and hide a little bit. That was what we talked about at half- time. We want to go out and put in a performance for our families and our clubs, and for ourselves because the girls are better than what they showed in the first half. "That was one part of it, to go and perform in the second half, to cut out the mistakes and tidy up a few things and show what we can do. We did that in parts in the second half. Westmeath were still superior in elements of the game, but I would be a lot happier with our effort and application. U-17 soccer team, an Irish U-19 soccer team, a local junior football club and a camogie team, it means for a lot of juggling. But she still finds time to devote to her new found joy, the Wexford Ladies footballers, and she will look to get them back into Division 2 at the first time of asking next year. Watching the three winners at Croke Park on 5 September will give her hope that Wexford can follow suit in the not too distant future. "I thoroughly enjoy my day job and my time on the field," said Kent. "There are occasions where it is every night of the week but I love it and I am really passionate about it. It doesn't overwhelm me but I think it overwhelms those around me." Focus MANAGER "THAT WAS ONE PART OF IT, TO GO AND PERFORM IN THE SECOND HALF, TO CUT OUT THE MISTAKES AND TIDY UP A FEW THINGS AND SHOW WHAT WE CAN DO. WE DID THAT IN PARTS IN THE SECOND HALF." "There will be days like this, I have been on the end of numerous beatings over the years. A defeat is just a defeat. At the end of the day, of course we are hugely disappointed about it but at the end of the day that's what it is." Kent loves being busy, the Newbawn native is a marketing and communications manager with WIT Novus while she also doubles up as the acting head of sporting societies in WIT. When you add in the fact she is involved with a National League Clockwise from Top Right: 1 Jo-hanna Maher, Westmeath in action against Aisling Halligan, Wexford. 2 Clara Donnelly, Wexford 3 Róisín Murphy, Wexford in action against Anna Jones, Westmeath 4 Aoife Connolly, Westmeath is tackled by Wexford goalkeeper Sarah Merrigan. 5 Shauna Murphy, Wexford in action against Lucy McCartan, Westmeath