Ladies Gaelic Football

INTERVIEW 26 | AUTUMN 2021 | www.ladiesgaelic.ie especially when you are playing Division 1 and when we had been playing senior. But the intermediate I think has given us another boost. my God this is a great day out in Croke Park, to support our county", said McCartan. "We get to watch three great matches really, with the junior and senior as well. It's just huge. "During Covid, having football was huge. It was so nice to be able to meet up with people and train and have some sort of routine. Football was the saviour in so many ways." The 22-year-old has a hectic schedule but she returned to the Mater Hospital in Dublin recently with a pep in her step. McCartan is on placement, she studies Medicine in UCD where she is in her penultimate and fifth year. "We are there for up until Christmas time and then we get a couple of weeks off and then we go back to UCD," said McCartan. "It's serious, it's so nice to have something to look forward to sometimes. We are now back in placement. "EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE TOUGH WINS, WE ARE STILL GETTING THE RESULT ON THE DAY WHICH HAS JUST DONE WONDERS FOR OUR CONFIDENCE. OVER THE YEARS WE WERE HOPING FOR THAT BIT OF A REWARD FOR ALL OF THE SLOGGING THAT WE DO". Above Left: Westmeath supporter Maisie Heduan, age 2, from Mullingar. Above Middle: Lucy Power of Westmeath celebrates at the final whistle. Above Right: Lucy McCartan of Westmeath shoots to score her side's second goal. Below: Jo-hanna Maher, Westmeath in action against Aisling Halligan, Wexford. "We had got a couple of wins and even though they are tough wins, we are still getting the result on the day which has just done wonders for our confidence. Over the years, we were hoping for that bit of a reward for all of the slogging that we do and the tough games that we have gone through. But getting the result on the day now was just huge." Westmeath actually lost their championship opener at home to Longford this year. That came after a battling display in the Lidl National Football League where Westmeath kept themselves up following a 2-16 to 2-10 relegation play- off victory over Tipperary. But they suffered defeat in their championship opener before turning it around with crucial wins against Sligo and Wexford, when they needed them most. Westmeath went on to beat Clare in the quarter- finals before a narrow 3-6 to 1-9 success against Kildare in the final four. And 5 September was a glorious day for McCartan and her teammates, who pulverised Wexford and won on a 4-19 to 0-6 scoreline. "Especially when last year we weren't allowed to have anybody at the match. Everyone was just like, 'oh

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