AIB All Ireland Senior Club Championship semifinal Sarsfields v Loughgiel
1st December 2024, Throw-in at 2pm in Kingspan Breffni, Cavan
Michael Corcoran for the Saffron Gael interviews Loughgiel’s captain Christine McCloskey ahead of Sunday’s semifinal game.
Two years ago, Loughgiel Shamrocks met Sarsfields in an All-Ireland final in the field of dreams, Croke Park. The Shamrocks had broken through the Ulster glass ceiling and had hopes of returning home with the Bill and Agnes Carroll Cup. Sarsfields would scoop up the spoils in a narrow win by just three points but Loughgiel’s captain, Christine McCloskey (Laverty then), believes the difference came down to experience.
Loughgiel were faced with a snow-covered pitch in the semi-final stage in ‘22. The squad didn’t consider not playing the game. Much to their credit, they stopped off at an Applegreen and filled up hot water bottles and warmed up in full track suits and tops. It is reported that they replied on given options, “we’re here to do a job” and that reflects the tenacity and drive this squad still has.
The Saffron Gael caught up with Christine, whilst getting ready to do a spot of babysitting and the ever-approachable camog was happy to share some views on this Sunday’s All-Ireland semifinal against Sarsfields.
The weather will be a bit different this year and McCloskey picks up the conversation, “I’ve played in Breffni Park before, albeit a different occasion. We (Antrim) were playing Down in an All-Ireland Intermediate match and it was affected by Covid rules, namely no spectators. Nevertheless, some of the squad got to experience the pitch and I’d say, particularly at this time of the year, it’ll be one of the few venues where the pitch will be in good condition. We played our All-Ireland final under lights in very cold conditions, so Sunday’s time and forecast are great.”
“The venue is a bit further away from our usual competition locations this year, like Clonduff and Beragh, but it is what it is and thankfully we haven’t to travel south of Dublin, that would be a long haul for supporters.”
Losing the final of 2022 still hurts and rang out in Lucia McNaughton’s interview with Michael McMullan from the Gaelic Life. But McCloskey says they’ve all accepted that and it’s woven into their experience now. The very thing they said they lacked coming into the All-Ireland scene. Despite the sense of loss, McCloskey is keen to add, “We had a great sense of pride, lining out in our club jerseys. It didn’t go past any of us, the sense of occasion walking out the tunnel onto the pitch. It’s destined to always be a core memory in your life.”
“Sarsfields are a good outfit but we won’t be deliberating over their game, we are focused on controlling the controllables and that means playing our game and we’ll see how it rolls on the day. After the Slaughtneil years, we have built on our mental strength and that is something that takes time to have across the entire squad. I remember being one of the younger members on the panel, now here I am leading the team as one of the older girls. That said, we are in the enviable position of having many leaders and I could pick one from each of the lines.”
Any team that reaches an All-Ireland game has momentum built up not only from training and challenging games but buoyed up by support. Christine is eager to point out that “We have been so lucky with the show of support. We’ve been fed and clothed that reflects the level you need to compete at this level. That means our recovery programs have been excellent; we could train harder for longer. From the support we experienced at the clubhouse after the County and Ulster wins to the fund-raising Big Breakfast and the sponsorship programme, I can only say it has been phenomenal and I can only thank everyone again!”
Supporters will make the 2 hours and forty-minute, 120-mile trip from the heartland of Loughgiel on Sunday to Breffni Park. McCloskey knows the Shamrocks will travel in numbers and the experience to be had for some of the juvenile girls will be inspiring, “These are the kind of occasions you remember when you are young, and that being the case, I hope at the very least, our younger girls will feel proud and be excited, maybe this is the sort of thing that will drive them on and we will be able to enjoy their endeavor’s down the line.”
Whatever the result on Sunday, there is no denying that the club machine called Loughgiel Shamrocks has been in overdrive since the Ulster win and has left no stone unturned in the preparations. Many will be hoping though, for a positive outcome and another big day out in the field of dreams.
