Payne wants class of 2026 to inspire next generation
Heather Payne in action for the Roscommon U-16 girls' football team during their 2015 All-Ireland B final against Waterford at McDonagh Park, Nenagh. Picture: Sportsfile
Ahead of Roscommon’s first All-Ireland U-16 ladies’ football final since 2015, Heather Payne knows better than most how the lead-up to this evening’s showdown with Laois will feel for the current crop of talented players.
That game against Waterford saw the future Republic of Ireland women’s soccer international line out at midfield. The team also featured Irish women’s rugby scrum-half Aoibheann Reilly.
Payne excelled in the centre of the park against Waterford, so much so that the selected her as Player of the Match.
Eleven years on, she feels that the game has changed completely, which became even more apparent to her when she visited the Roscommon minor team ahead of their All-Ireland semi-final against Down.
“It was a very different game back then than it is now. Even when I went up to the minors’ training session, I saw how tactical it had become. I couldn’t even get over it. Back when I was playing, you lined out in your position and you just played. Now they are doing blanket defences and people drop back to defend, which is very similar to soccer these days. I was pleasantly surprised by that,” she noted.
Payne’s role in Roscommon progressing through to that U-16 B final 11 years ago was pivotal. She scored two goals from the penalty spot in Roscommon’s 3-6 to 1-3 semi-final win over Cavan.
Unfortunately, Roscommon lost out 2-9 to 3-5 in the final. Despite a heroic comeback — coming from 11 points down after 26 minutes — they came up just short. Despite the heartbreaking loss, Payne holds positive memories from her time playing ladies’ football and camogie.
“I looked up a few articles and pictures, and they did bring back some memories. It is nice looking back and seeing all the girls. We were just unlucky and the slow start gave us too much of an uphill climb. We showed great perseverance to come back, but it just wasn’t enough,” Payne recalled.
The current Leicester City player hopes that the progression of the U-16 and minor teams can help to inspire young girls in the county to continue playing sport.
“Sport is such a big thing. It is so important for young girls to play and develop those relationships with each other.
“There is that pattern of girls playing up to U-16 or minor and quitting after that. It is nice to see some girls continue and play up until senior and go all the way like myself and Aoibheann who have continued to play in our respective sports. It creates a platform for younger girls to see that as well, and to see that there is an opportunity for them to pursue that.
“I just think the game needs to keep growing and the younger girls can watch these girls and create heroes out of them. It would be nice for younger girls to see that pathway is available for them if that is what they want,” she concluded.
