Rising Rossies harbour ambitions to rock Rebels girls
Chloe Mulryan, Esmae Halpin and Sarah Kate Goode will be hoping to lead Roscommon to their first All-Ireland Minor A football final against Cork on Saturday. Picture: Gerard O'Loughlin
It has been a rags to riches story for the Roscommon LGFA U-18 team as they head to O'Connor Park Tullamore on Saturday to play in an All-Ireland Minor A final against Cork.
It’s the stuff of dreams for these young Roscommon women, who now have the opportunity to dine at the top table against the championship’s standard-bearers of the past decade.
The Rebels are chasing a sixth All-Ireland crown in nine seasons - a remarkable record for the Munster champions, who booked their place in the final with a semi-final victory over Dublin. They will provide Roscommon with their sternest test of the year, but it is one the Rossies will embrace, just as they have done with every hurdle they have cleared on their journey to the decider.
This Roscommon side have captured the imagination of supporters and can expect a large following on Saturday. With Roscommon ladies' football riding the crest of a wave, the feel-good factor around the county is every bit as intense as the soaring temperatures of the past fortnight.
Both All-Ireland football semi-finals were dominated by outstanding players called Laura. On the Primrose and Blue side, Laura Glennon hit 1-8, while Laura Walsh posted 0-7 for the Red and White.
A quality supporting cast, who are ready to elevate their performances to another level, surrounds both of these stars.
At this age group, Cork have the tradition and medals to match their dominance but, right now, Roscommon LGFA is surfing the crest of a wave, building a momentum that is proving hard to stop.
Last time out, Roscommon Gaels threw the cat among the pigeons in the Kepak Roscommon Senior Club Hurling Championship with a victory over Athleague, sending a clear message to the other six teams in the competition that the Town side are very much alive and kicking.
After losing to Tremane, it seemed that the Gaels might be the ones eliminated after the round robin, but Darren O'Shaughnessy's men have given themselves a lifeline.
Undefeated, St. Dominic’s and Tremane have set the early pace after two games. Another win for either team will secure knockout hurling.
This weekend’s trio of championship matches will add further fuel to the fire, with the loser of the Athleague versus Four Roads clash set to remain pointless after two rounds of the competition.
After losing to St. Dominic’s, the champions will be expected to bounce back against their rivals, who already know at this early stage that Roscommon Gaels hold the head-to-head advantage over them.
Padraig Pearses, second best against Oran, will be aiming to bounce back against Roscommon Gaels, but know it will not be easy after the Gaels discovered that winning feeling against Athleague.
The game of the weekend is Oran against Tremane, with the winner taking a giant step towards an automatic semi-final spot. After a lean few seasons, Tremane have a pep in their step as their draw with St. Dominic’s underlined their resurgence.
Oran’s next two games will tell us all we need to know about the Mid-Roscommon boys who will be keen to build on an opening day win over Padraig Pearses. If they can topple Tremane, last year's beaten finalists will go top of the table.
Next day out, Francie Quine’s men are in Knockcroghery to face goal-hungry St Dominic’s.
If England were as consistent as my weekly teaser side, then it would be “coming home”.
When was the first time in World Cup soccer history that all four semi-finalists were former winners of the tournament? It was 1970 as Uruguay, Brazil, Italy and West Germany reached the last four.
QPR, Frenchpark, was first to win the Golden Boot, with Liam Dooley, Ballyhaunis; Michael Scally, Ballaghaderreen; Fr John McManus, PP Castlerea; Murt Hunt, Ballyhaunis; John Croghan, Bundoran; Pat, Sligo; Mary Gilfillan, Kilmore; PJ Martin, Kiltoom; James Healy, Mount Talbot; Mick Fetherston, Dublin; Mary McCarthy, Holloway; Kevin Flanagan, Dartford; Sean Toolan, Heston and Michael Kearns, Clapham, also finding the net.
This week’s Teaser: Can you name the only country not to score a goal at the recent World Cup finals?
Answers by email to willieefc@gmail.com or by text to 086 8356227. This week’s teaser comes from Dublin.
Star Pupil: Despite coming second, Orla Connolly was magnificent for the Roscommon camogie team, scoring 1-9 in their defeat to Armagh.
Crucial win for: Galway senior ladies footballers who reached the All-Ireland final with a convincing win over Armagh, setting up a repeat decider of 2024 against Kerry.
Must do better: Conceding 2-4 in the opening six minutes of the second half left a brave and courageous Roscommon camogie side too much to do against Armagh in a pulsating All-Ireland Premier Junior semi-final.
Spot of bother: Galway’s hatchback colliding into Limerick’s juggernaut was not a pretty sight on All-Ireland hurling final day.
Weekend highlight: All one can do is sit back, relax, admire and appreciate Limerick hurlers making sweet music in Croke Park.
What a cracker: The thought of David Clifford at one end of the field and Kobe McDonald at the other is enough to set pulses racing, with all the signs pointing to a special Sunday.
“Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It’s perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we’ve learned something from yesterday.”
Kerry and Mayo will meet for the fifth time in an All-Ireland SFC final with the Kingdom 4-0 ahead, winning in 1932, 1997, 2004 and 2006.
We give out when our county team has a bad day and fails to perform in the championship.
Yet even France, one of the best soccer teams in the world and a team laden with full-time professionals, had a stinker in last week’s World Cup semi-final, turning in their poorest display of the tournament against Spain.
