Issue link: http://digitaleditions.uberflip.com/i/1504175
www.ladiesgaelic.ie | SUMMER 2023 | 53 INTERVIEW it's nearly like a quarter back role that she plays and gets on a lot of scores herself. Her presence on any team, you kind of don't really want to not impress her, to be honest. Her presence is great on the pitch. "Even growing up through the age groups, we were very lucky that we had Cathy taking us for coaching and things like that. Coming up through minor and everything like that. You do see a so-called role model playing for your club and county. You're watching them and then coming on and taking the underage coming up through, helping them progress like she had." While all of 10 points separated the sides in the end, it wasn't until deep into the second half that Antrim were truly assured of their victory against a hard- working Leitrim outfit. In fact, their Connacht counterparts held a slender advantage during the early exchanges, but Devlin's fourth minute goal at the end of a fine team move proved to be an ideal tonic. "Definitely for myself it settled the nerves and for the rest of the team. It kind of sets the tone a wee bit. We played to our abilities a wee bit better after that there." Despite having a number of championship triumphs to their name, this encounter represented a first-ever league final win for Antrim. Having previously come up short in the Division 4 showpieces of 2014, 2016 and 2019, they finally got over the line. Although she wasn't involved in any of these games, Devlin recognises how important it is for Antrim to have secured Division 3 football for 2024. "Last year we wanted to obviously get out of Division Four and when that didn't happen our next aim was to win the All- Ireland. Then this year especially, our big, big aim was to get out of Division Four into Division Three and keep progressing. We're definitely stepping in the right direction to keep on going." That is still some way in the future, of course, and for now Devlin and her Saffron colleagues are looking forward to leaving a lasting impression on the TG4 All-Ireland intermediate football championship. "We'll definitely be going in, you would say, as underdogs, but we're hoping to take that name away from ourselves and going in to cause a bit of an upset into the championship. It's new territory for us and we'll see how we get on, but we're hoping to cause a bit of an upset in the championship," Devlin added. Images clockwise from top: 1 Leah Fox of Leitrim is tackled by Aine Tubridy of Antrim. 2 Lara Dahunsi of Antrim in action against Niamh Tighe of Leitrim. 3 Cathy Carey lifts the cup after her side's victory. 4 Antrim celebrate after their side's victory in the 2023 Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 4 Final match between Antrim and Leitrim at Parnell Park in Dublin.