United approach can be U-16 ladies’ trump card

The Roscommon’s U-16 ladies’ footballers are on the verge of reaching a first All-Ireland final since 2015 this (Thursday) evening. Albert Looby’s side will play Waterford in the U-16 B semi-final at Gracefield GAA grounds, County Offaly, at 7.30 p.m..

Looby, who is in his second year in this role after coaching the Roscommon U-14 girls in 2021 and 2022, feels that the bond within the group helped them become Connacht B champions as they stand on the precipice of just the county’s third All-Ireland U-16 final appearance this century.

“The girls have really grown together as a group. When we started off you would see girls from the one club sticking together whereas, nowadays, they all mingle. In the four years I have been involved, it is the best bunch in terms of unity that I have seen. They seem to really enjoy each other’s company.

“Some of that is where the winning mentality has come from. They get on so well together and they really fight for each other on the field. There is great unity and camaraderie. They feed off each other,” he noted.

Roscommon secured a gritty Connacht B final triumph over Sligo to reach this stage of the competition. However, that game was played three and a half months ago. As a result, Looby and his management team of Marty Kenny, Joe Daly, Evan Curran and Yvonne Donohue have been left with a significant challenge to ensure that their players haven’t lost their momentum, especially with the State exams taking precedence earlier this month.

“It is a huge gap. This campaign is going back since last October when we held trials. We had a very good strength and conditioning programme over the winter, and I think that has stood to the girls since. We are very much focussing on speed and footwork and, once again, that has paid dividends.

“We have played quite a few challenge games while we trained during the Junior Cert with the girls who were doing exams excused. It was just to keep the momentum going but we have done it with some good challenge games so that has helped a good bit,” he explained.

The Kilbride man, whose daughter Ivannah is a member of the panel, believes that his side’s confidence gained from claiming provincial silverware can help them book a place in the final against either Armagh or Wexford.

“We beat Sligo in the Connacht final, and they narrowly lost to Kerry in last year’s B final. Sligo would have been gunning to win Connacht and go all the way, so to win Connacht was a big boost.

“From looking at Waterford they are quite physical and defensive, so we need to move the ball quickly. Nerves will play a little factor, but we have been very good in championship games so far. We have very good footballers, so hopefully it will all come together on the evening,” he concluded.