Ladies Gaelic Football

Previews www.ladiesgaelic.ie | WINTER 2022 / JANUARY 2023 | 55 MATCH F ermanagh will come again and this time, according to Bláithín Bogue, they will return to the TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate Championship. It was an interesting year for the Fermanagh Ladies footballers, they were hit hard by the relegation they suffered in 2021 but took in their stride and eventually made strides on the football pitch. Fermanagh were relegated from the intermediate ranks in Mullahoran following an agonising 0-9 to 0-8 defeat to Longford in August 2021. Earlier that year, Fermanagh had also been relegated from Division 3 of the Lidl National Football League. The Erne County lost a few influential names in the aftermath of that, season and that coupled with their two demotions, meant for a reality check – it was likely going to get to worse before it got better. But, to their credit, Fermanagh steadied themselves, Armagh native James Daly was brought in to set new goals and bring about a renewed sense of optimism. The League went relatively well, Fermanagh emerged from their group as runners-up and faced Limerick in the semi-finals. There, they suffered defeats but there were already plenty of green shoots from the girls in green shirts. Chief among them was Bláithín Bogue, the 22-year- old was fast emerging as a central figure in Fermanagh's attack, along with the brilliant Eimear Smyth. And those two were on fire as League turned to championship and Daly got his players to hit the right notes at the right time. "We kind of were rebuilding because we lost a lot of players last year," said Bogue. "I think at the start of the year we probably didn't think that we would see Croke Park come July – we had maybe 15 at trials at the start of year. James, Caoimhe and Ryan stuck with us and helped us build as a team. The team came together and thankfully we got to Croke Park." It was a great feat to return to a TG4 All-Ireland Junior Final after their showing in 2021, and Fermanagh were deserved finalists too. Fermanagh actually began the summer with a 1-9 to 1-5 defeat to Carlow but they turned it around following that poor showing at Lannleire on 5 June. They were back in action seven days later, and knowing a win was all-important, they were really impressive. London were the visitors to Brewster Park and Fermanagh dished out a 2-15 to 2-7 beating. They grabbed that momentum and marched on towards the final four, where it was Limerick who lay in wait again but this time it was a very different story. Smyth scored an astonishing 3-7 that day while Bogue also chipped in with a goal and Fermanagh found themselves in a decider. Fermanagh and Antrim couldn't be separated and while Bogue didn't come out on the winning side that day, she scored a whopping 0-7. It meant the teams finished 1-13 to 1-13 at Croke Park on 31 July. Coming fast in Fermanagh by Daragh Small GREEN SHOOTS GREEN SHOOTS PLAYER FOCUS

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