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MATCH Review Joining Nevin in the pivotal half-back sector for the triumphant Slashers were inter-county duo Eimear O'Brien and Clare Farrell. The latter made sure that Nevin had some assistance in the scoring stakes as she kicked a fine point in the opening quarter when the game was still very much in the melting pot. Given she works in professional sport as a lead performance nutritionist with Munster Rugby, Farrell also has an important role to play away from a football pitch. "She has a busy lifestyle now. She's up and down to Cork or Limerick half the time. She's brilliant. She sends in nutritionist advice the whole time. She's helping out in that aspect and she's up and down the pitch. We're lucky to have her. Any team she's on, I'm sure she has some nutritionist advice to give, but it really helps. It puts us in the zone." While nine points separated the sides in the end, there can be no underestimating how vital it was for Slashers to make a bright start to their duel with Mullinahone. All-Ireland junior club finalists last season, Mary O'Shea's Premier County charges secured county and provincial honours in the intermediate grade with considerable aplomb. There was also plenty of experience within the Mullinahone ranks - not least in the form of Kilkenny camogie stars Denise Gaule and Michaela Kenneally - but a fourth-minute goal from captain Aisling Cosgrove offered Slashers an early platform and they remained in the ascendancy for the rest of the action. "Kara Shannon picked out the pass and it was brilliant. That gave us the confidence then to keep going and get the few more scores we needed to get over the line. We kept our cool and we were happy out." Although the senior showpiece between Kilkerrin- Clonberne and Donaghmoyne followed it on the same day, this intermediate spectacle goes down as the first All-Ireland ladies club football championship final to be held at Croke Park. This was the maiden game at GAA HQ for the majority of the Slashers players, albeit Nevin has stepped out on the hallowed Croker turf under different circumstances. Additionally, as a student at the DCU St Patrick's Campus in Drumcondra, it is a ground she passes by on a regular basis while in the capital. "That took a bit of the wow factor out of it too, I'm only coming from up the road! It's unreal to be here, we're just happy out. We'll never forget this day. I played across the pitch once, but I don't think that counts! This was the first time and it's a lovely pitch. We thought we might be a bit more shell shocked by it, but once the whistle blows, you kind of are in the zone and just plough on." Rather than being a culmination, Nevin and the rest of her Slashers colleagues will be hoping their All-Ireland victory is just another milestone in their continued pursuit of Ladies Football excellence. Having been put to the pin of their collar in this year's Longford senior championship, she also feels it can help to drive on the rest of the county as well. "Even when we were playing in the county, there were other teams in Longford that put it up to us. It just shows where you can go, if you really put your mind to it and keep going. It's brilliant. It's such a happy day for the county. Everyone is so happy for us and it's lovely to see," Nevin added. Images clockwise from top: 1 Orla Nevin of Longford Slashers in action against Aoibhe O'Shea of Mullinahone 2 Aoibhe O'Shea of Mullinahone in action against Lisa Nolan of Longford Slashers 3 Grace Shannon of Longford Slashers receives the Player of the Match award from Dorothy Gallagher. 4 Longford Slashers captain Aisling Cosgrove lifts the cup after the 2022 currentaccount.ie LGFA All-Ireland Intermediate Club Football Championship Final. 5 Grace Shannon of Longford Slashers. 6 Longford Slashers players celebrate. 24 | WINTER 2022 / JANUARY 2023 | www.ladiesgaelic.ie