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FEATURE www.ladiesgaelic.ie | AUTUMN 2022 | 41 www.ladiesgaelic.ie | AUTUMN 2022 | 41 I t wasn't something she had expected to happen, but Sarah- Anne Fitzgerald was thrilled to climb the steps of Croke Park's Hogan Stand for the second time in her life on July 31 of this year. Back in 2015, Fitzgerald featured at midfield on a Laois team that were crowned All-Ireland junior camogie champions with a 2-12 to 1-6 triumph over Roscommon. The Portlaoise woman bagged the opening goal on the day as the O'Moore County shrugged off past heartbreak to claim national glory. Despite the best efforts of Fitzgerald, Laois had lost previously to Kildare and Down in the 2013 and 2014 junior deciders respectively. She continued to line out in the small ball code with great distinction, before eventually calling time on her inter- county odyssey at the start of 2020 - or so she thought. A return to the club scene in the same year caught the eye of Laois football manager Donie Brennan, who subsequently called Fitzgerald up to his squad. She has since become a mainstay of the side and was rewarded with a second All-Ireland crown following Laois' 1-13 to 1-11 victory over Wexford in a tense TG4 Intermediate decider at Croker. "I thought my days were done, I didn't expect anything like this. I can't believe I'm here to be honest and experiencing this. I honestly thought these days were done. To get back here and to get a win like that, it's just incredible," Fitzgerald explained outside of the winning dressing room in the minutes that followed their success against Wexford. "A few people were saying you have that experience in there, but it's Croke Park at the end of the day. No matter how many times you play there, no matter how many times you go to a game, it still takes your breath away. I don't think I'll ever forget that roar when we ran out there during the first half and the Laois crowd was just amazing. "Crowds of people were up there. I've never experienced anything like it. The hype and everything has just been incredible. I've been lucky to play a few times with camogie, but it's the first time Laois has been up here in football terms in 21 years. It's a special day. As Donie says 'it's not too often any Laois team gets here', but when we do, we tend to perform. I think we did that there today." Fitzgerald and Laois had looked set for a stress-free return to the senior championship after developing a 1-9 to 0-3 buffer midway through their all-Leinster showdown with Wexford in north Dublin. Sarah-Anne Fitzgerald talks to Daire Walsh about her exceptional teammates and their delight at the support the team has received from the Gaelic Games community in Laois. INTERVIEW