Issue link: http://digitaleditions.uberflip.com/i/1481776
www.ladiesgaelic.ie | AUTUMN 2022 | 23 PLAYER FOCUS: LARA DAHUNSI FINDING the HEADSPACE to THRIVE A ntrim midfielder Lara Dahunsi admitted there was an overwhelming sense of relief within the Saffrons camp following their TG4 All-Ireland Junior final replay victory against Fermanagh at the Athletic Grounds in Armagh on August 13. After playing out a stalemate at Croke Park just under a fortnight earlier (1-13 apiece), there was a considerable amount of pressure on the shoulders of Dahunsi and her team-mates for their rematch with the Erne County. It had been 10 years since Antrim's previous triumph at this grade and they had gone on to suffer defeats at the hands of Longford and Wicklow in the 2016 and 2021 deciders. Yet an early goal from Dahunsi eased Antrim into the replay and with Cathy Carey also grabbing a brace of majors, Antrim earned national honours on a final score of 3-15 to 0-11. Even though she acknowledges there was an element of fortune to her fifth-minute finish, it was the tonic the Saffrons needed after struggling with their accuracy in the drawn final. "It was a bit of relief, because obviously it was a draw in Croke Park and people had holidays booked. All of us had big plans for it to be finished after [the drawn game]. We didn't expect a draw. It was a kind of relief to finally get over the line," Dahunsi said after the replay. "The chances and opportunities we missed [in the first final], we could have been ahead by a good bit going into the second half and unfortunately we weren't. In the replay, it just goes to show how much talent and how much skill is actually on our team. The scoreline speaks for itself. "I think that goal gave us a little kick- start, even though I was supposed to be going for a point! Luck was on our side on the day and it went into the back of the net. That is what we needed to give us a little boost, to keep driving forward." Antrim's Lara Dahunsi talks to Daire Walsh about the joy in playing with, and for, her role models Emma Kelly and Áine Tubridy.