Issue link: http://digitaleditions.uberflip.com/i/1437906
INTERVIEW 16 | WINTER 2021 | www.ladiesgaelic.ie And while Meath were performing heroics in the senior ranks, Westmeath put on their run in the second tier and rocked up to Croke Park full of confidence, with their forward line bolstered by the brilliant Milltown attacker. Dillon was outstanding on 5 September, she scored Westmeath's first point in just the second minute and she capped her performance with a wonderful goal in the second half. "It was really nice to get the win because I missed the whole of championship last year with Westmeath," said Dillon. "It was nice thinking that this time last year I wasn't even able to train, I was doing my shoulder and stuff. But this year I got the win. It was nice for the girls as well." Injury came thick and fast for Dillon in recent years, with her shoulders giving her most trouble. It was her right shoulder that first dislocated in 2019 and that was the beginning of a long line of issues with both shoulders. It was finally left up to the Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Prof Cathal Moran to save her young career, when she visited the Sports Surgery Clinic in Santry. "It kept dislocating," said Dillon. "At the start I didn't really know what it was. I kept playing on and on and it kept coming in and out. But it got to the stage where it started coming out in my sleep. "I went up to Cathal Moran and he fixed it, thank God. I was back about three months and my left shoulder just went out. I knew straight away to get it pinned up." And despite muscle deficiencies in both shoulders, Dillon worked hard to get them right, and finally after months and months of rehab she was able to prove her fitness. It all culminated with that brilliant day in Croke Park and although one of her sisters, Rachel, missed out due to injury, Sarah still got to enjoy the final victory alongside her other sister Tracey. But it was Sarah's individual display that really caught the eye and she eventually took home the TG4 Intermediate Players' Player of the Year ahead of her teammate Lucy McCartan and Clare's Niamh O'Dea. "It was lovely, especially when it's your peers who nominate you. Being up against the likes of Lucy and Niamh, it was lovely to win it," said Dillon. And despite seeing her neighbours take home the majority of the plaudits from the Bonnnington Hotel on All-Star night, Dillon continues to be in awe of Meath's marvellous achievements this year and the eight All-Stars that followed. "I don't think anyone could get sick of seeing it," said Dillon. "They have done so much for Ladies football. Everyone has huge respect for them. Their workrate the whole time has been unreal. "We will give it a go but I think it will be hard to top. Especially Vikki Wall after winning intermediate player of the year straight into senior player of the year, it's class. "Everyone dreams of it but no one would ever think they can win an intermediate and then a senior. It's nice to see happening." Kellie Kearney of Wexford in action against Sarah Dillon of Westmeath Sarah Dillon of Westmeath with her Player of the Match trophy Sarah Dillon of Westmeath in action against Eva Noone of Galway