Camógs primed for a crack at league honours

When Roscommon junior camogie manager Mary Grehan speaks, people listen.

It is easy to see why the former dual player has guided Roscommon to Saturday’s Very Division Three League final at Kinnegad in her first season at the helm (throw-in at 1 p.m.).

Roscommon are set to face a Laois side that defeated them 2-10 to 0-7 during the group stage of the league. Consequently, the Rossies will enter this contest as firm underdogs.

Despite that loss, Roscommon bounced back as an emphatic win over Louth. With Laois doing Roscommon a favour by getting the better of Wicklow, Mary Grehan’s side finished the group stages in second place and, more importantly, progressed through to next weekend’s national decider.

The Roscommon manager is adamant that the recent defeat against Laois wasn’t demoralising. Instead, she viewed it as an opportunity to show her side the levels they need to reach in order to compete with a team that reached last year’s All-Ireland Premier Junior final.

“The Laois game really showed the girls the speed, especially in terms of their reactions — the way they can score at a higher level than what we had been used to. That is where we have to get to.

“The girls realise that as well. Coming away from that match, we were saying everything we do at training has to be done at a higher intensity. Everything has to be done quicker and sharper.

“They are great women. They are so young. It has been difficult because they are coming down from college midweek. A lot of them are in the middle of exams at the moment.

“Then there are part-time jobs as well. They are trying to do everything. They are giving great commitment to their county, so playing in a National League final is great,” she stated.

As someone who excelled both with a hurl or a football in her hand, Grehan understands that nerves are part and parcel of the big days. But she believes that they help her to keep players tuned-in, even when things are not going to plan.

“As a player myself, I have been there. You experience these big days, and you can learn from those. When I was younger the emotions could get the better of you or you could end up talking back to the referee. If you go a few scores down, it can get you down. When you go into management, those are the type of things you can work on with the girls.

“We set our standard from the very start. Nearly all of these girls have won an underage All-Ireland title and some of them have won an All-Ireland title with their school.

“This is something new for these girls, but I think we have an expectation. Our dream for all the girls, and ourselves as management, is to win an All-Ireland. Every day you go out, you are trying to get to that next step,” Grehan noted.

With Mary Grehan at the helm, Roscommon will certainly do everything in their power to close the gap and take a giant leap forward.