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Images clockwise from top: 1: Liam McDonagh, former Connacht President presents presents the player of the match to Lauren Murtagh of Kildare after the All-Ireland Ladies Football Minor B final match between Kildare and Roscommon at Moate, Westmeath. 2: Sarah Dillon of Westmeath in action against Lauren Murtagh of Kildare during the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Ladies Football Championship Semi-Final match between Kildare and Westmeath. 3: Erone Fitzpatrick of Laois in action against Lauren Murtagh of Kildare during the Lidl Ladies Football National League Division 3 Final match between Kildare and Laois at Baltinglass GAA Club in Baltinglass, Wicklow. When you consider they had just two points to spare (0-9 to 0-7) away to the same opposition in the group stages of NFL Division 3 back on February 5 at Cooraclare, Murtagh knew there was always likely to be a sting in the tail–particularly with Kildare men Wayne Freeman, Brian Willis and Lee Hunt all part of the Clare management team. "We knew coming into it, it was going to be a battle. It's always a battle with Clare. It was the last two times. We thought we had them three-quarters of the way through and obviously then they threw everything at us, fair play to them and I'm just glad we came out the right side of it. We're absolutely delighted. To be fair, we know Wayne and we know Brian. Fair play to them, they put it up to us and they knew us inside out. I'm just glad our girls got on top of it in the end." While 2023 was Freeman's first season at the helm of Clare, the same was true for the woman in charge of his home county. After spending a year in the set up alongside her fellow Mayo native Sean Finnegan as a coach, Diane O'Hora was appointed to the role of Lilywhites supremo in October 2022. Like Murtagh's grandfather, O'Hora had a stellar playing career before moving into management winning three All- Ireland senior crowns with the green and red. She was captain for their breakthrough Brendan Martin Cup success in 1999 and was honoured along with 48 other All-Ireland SFC skippers during the half-time break for the senior final between Dublin and Kerry on the same day as she guided Kildare back to the top grade of intercounty ladies football. As you might expect, Murtagh was fulsome in her praise for O'Hora, who was also part of the Down backroom team for their All- Ireland IFC triumph over Fermanagh in 2014. "It was insane and to have her experience, and to have her knowledge and just the love for the game [is massive]. She loves the game, she did it for Kildare. She came in and the first thing she said was 'I'm doing this for Kildare'. "It wasn't her, it wasn't the management, it was for us. I'm just delighted that we got it over the line. She has been an inspiration to all of us and she's shown us the grit that we needed. "Remarkably, Kildare are now the fourth Leinster county in succession to win the TG4 All - Ireland Intermediate Football Championship title following in the footsteps of Meath (2020), Westmeath (2021) and Laois (2022). Come 2024, the Lilies will join forces with Meath, Laois and current Brendan Martin Cup holders Dublin to form a four team eastern provincial championship. Stepping back up to the senior grade could be daunting for Kildare and there is also the small matter of their return to Lidl National Football League Division 2 but Murtagh is adamant they are more than capable of mixing it with ladies football's biggest teams. "It's a big jump up, but we've the players coming up and the players now. If we just stick together, senior will be unbelievable. We've such good girls coming up. They were in the Minor 'A' final against Galway, so we've good girls coming up. This team will stick together and we're going to give senior a good bash next year," Murtagh added. www.ladiesgaelic.ie | AUTUMN 2023 | 21 INTERVIEW