Leitrim football has experienced a prosperous year. Two weeks past, the women’s team clinched the intermediate All-Ireland, and Ailbhe Clancy, the team’s star forward, earned the title of PwC GPA Player of the Month for August. Furthermore, the U16 boys squad recently won the Fr Manning Cup, an honour they hadn’t held since 1990, marking the occasion as a historic victory in the GAA’s longest standing intercounty juvenile tournament. Earlier in March, the men’s team scored a promotion to Division Three of the AFL.
The women, however, stand out, being once again crowned champions of the Mary Quinn Cup, an accolade bestowed upon intermediate All-Ireland victors, named after a woman from Leitrim in 2007. Despite their unsuccessful bid for promotion from Division Four, the women’s team vanquished Tyrone in the championship final, a team about to embark on a Division One journey next season.
Ailbhe Clancy, one of the pivotal members of the women’s team, had a prominent role in securing the championship, scoring seven goals in five games. Despite the league setback, she reflects that it served as a wake-up call for the team, galvanising them for the championship challenge. Clancy admits to internalising a sense of personal liability due to a last-minute loss in the league semi-final against Limerick , which motivated her to encourage her teammates despite her natural tendency to let her on-field performance do the talking.
The team accomplished the incredible feat of going undefeated in the championship, something that I had previously suggested was within their capability. Their achievement was made all the more impressive considering they had a lean roster of 25 players. Interestingly, this is something team manager Jonny Garrity, originally from Fintona and faced with the challenge of competing against his own county in the final, has claimed worked to their advantage, in spite of the potential injury risks.
Leitrim’s journey in the championship was an illustration of intensity. From provincial to the All-Ireland finals, they had to compete in six matches; three matches were won by a mere point, two by just two points and only in one match against Wicklow in the All-Ireland group did they have a significant lead. Moreover, it was necessary for them to contest with the same team twice — defeating Roscommon in the Connacht final 3-12 to 0-19 and later in the All-Ireland quarter-final 3-13 to 3-11. A narrow victory over Tyrone, 4-12 to 5-8, in the All-Ireland group was then repeated when they narrowly beat them again in the All-Ireland, 3-11 to 3-10.
In championship context, it’s considered particularly challenging to face off against the same team that you’ve previously defeated closely within a short duration. Acknowledging this, Clancy points out that while getting to know a team better through repeated encounters can be beneficial, the opposing team equally gets more familiar with their strategies and game plan. Nonetheless, he also notes that previously defeating a team confers a mental advantage.
In a game riddled with an intense tug of war, Leitrim maintained an initial lead of seven points in the third quarter, but had to fend off a powerful Tyrone counter. Confidence, according to Clancy, was something the team never lost, stating that despite the nail-biting finish, he always knew that they were capable of coming out on top.
“Similar scenarios unfolded during our match against Wexford and numerous other close games, instilling in me a deep sense of sureness,” this was noted by the seasoned intercounty player of a decade, Clancy. As the seasons transition next year, Leitrim is facing a seemingly formidable task. They’ll be starting in the lowermost division of the league’s spring football, while also stepping up directly into the senior championship. To this coming challenge, Clancy expressed great anticipation.
“I mentioned previously how thrilled I am to tackle that task head-on,” he shared. “One always seeks to stretch beyond their comfort zone and our aim is exactly that. Our main priority lies in securing victory in Division Four next year and smoothly advancing into the Connacht championship. Personally, I believe I have not yet fully embodied my potential and as a team, we have a multitude of areas where we can enhance our performance.
“The goal of our ascension to the senior level is not merely to fill the quota. Our aspiration is to compete against the top-notch teams and prove our mettle.”