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18 | AUTUMN 2021 | www.ladiesgaelic.ie Verdict BIG MATCH Clockwise from Top Left: 1 Orlagh Farmer, Cork during the Lidl Ladies NFL Division 1 Round 3 match between Dublin and Cork at Croke Park 2020. 2 Vikki Wall, Meath in action against Martha Byrne, Dublin. 3 Emma Duggan, Meath. 4 Hannah Tyrrell, Dublin Q: Orlagh, thanks for chatting to us. You tuned in to watch the 2021 TG4 All-Ireland Senior Final between Dublin and Meath. What were your thoughts on the game? A : What a fantastic Final! Both teams showed class and showcased what the ever-increasing standard of Ladies Football is all about! Hats off to Meath, the stars of the show. They believed they could and they did. What an incredible journey and story, winning their first ever Senior title. Their intent, drive, industrious work-rate and sheer heart was admirable to watch. Credit to Dublin for their constant never-give up determination to close the gap. What a magical moment for Meath when that final whistle went! It just goes to show that if you combine intent, desire and utter belief in a common goal, you can achieve anything. Q: Having played against Meath at the semi-final stage, did you think they were in with a chance in the Final, or did you feel that Dublin would win it? A : To be honest, it was always at the back of my mind that Meath would put it up to the Dubs. I think they had more momentum than Dublin coming into the Final, and beating the Rebels in the semi-final definitely gave them a pep in their step. As favourites, I did think Dublin would win by two-three points but it makes the win all the sweeter for Meath as underdogs! Q: Where did you think the Final was won and lost? BIG MATCH VERDICT: ORLAGH FARMER (CORK) ON THE TG4 SENIOR FINAL A : From the get go, it's fair to say that the Royals ruled the roost, commanding possession and upsetting Dublin's flow. Emma Duggan's goal was a pivotal moment for Meath. This, along with Monika McGuirk's save to deny Hannah Tyrrell's rocket, deflated the Dublin determination. It gave Meath a heightened sense of belief that now was the time to push on. The icing on the cake was Niamh O'Sullivan's sensational left leg score with six minutes to go, which sealed the deal for the Royals. Q: Who were the stand-out performers on the day? A : Dublin: Hannah Tyrell: her intelligent movement and accurate shooting caused problems for the Meath defence. Martha Byrne: her ability to get a hand in, and exuberance coming out of defence, was admirable to watch. Meath: Vikki Wall: her speed, determination, and ability to read the game was top class. Unstoppable. Emma Duggan: showed great courage, skill and composure for such a young player. A bright future ahead, for sure. Aoibhín Cleary, Aoibheann Leahy and Emma Troy showed outstanding work- rate throughout and they were involved in some key moments for Meath. Q: As a player who's experienced so many Finals, how did it feel sitting back and watching it without that direct involvement? A : As a player, you always strive to be in Croke Park on All-Ireland Final day. Meath beating us in extra time in the semi-final was hard to take. Nobody likes losing. It goes without saying that that the older you get, the more you appreciate playing in an All-Ireland Final. Those days should never be taken for granted. Meath's journey and story are incredible and seeing the sheer joy and emotion on their faces when the final whistle went shows how much sport can lift the spirits of people from all walks of life. Q: How do you reflect back on Cork's 2021 season, and how confident are you that the team can regroup ahead of the 2022 campaign? A : All in all, I think we had a good season. It was very disappointing to lose the way we did in the semi-final. That hurt will drive us on for next year. We're a young team, too, and often times you learn more from defeat. We will regroup now over the coming weeks and reflect upon the year as a group. There are always lessons to be learned and aspects of our play to be improved. I think 2022 will be an exciting season of Ladies Football for all.