GAA - Sunday showdown the start of a new dawn for Slaugtneil or Sarsfields
Slaughtneil v Sarsfields Sunday 3.15 – Croke Park
THE one surety about Sunday will be a new name etched on the Bill Carroll Cup. Barring a draw he will have either maroon or green ribbons tied on. The victory cavalcade will head north towards the slopes of Carntogher or west over the Shannon, past Ballinasloe to the hamlet of New Inn.
Sarsfields were crowned Galway champions for the first time last October and Slaughtneil, with three county titles, made their breakthrough in Ulster. A novel pairing to crown a new champion.
Dominic McKinley formed a management team with Damien McEldowney and the late Thomas Cassidy – a club legend, a man who made his mark on this team. McKinley has Croke Park experience with Antrim in 1989 and Loughgiel in 1983, with the Shamrocks winning the All-Ireland in the replay with St Rynagh’s at Casement Park.
In the opposition corner Michael McGrath will steer the westerners and their hard-fought 0-8 to 0-7 win over a highly rated Thomastown proves their ability to last the pace. Sarsfields trailed 0-5 to 0-1 at the break but seven points from Niamh McGrath turned the tide in the second half.
Slaughtneil have however, a proven record of edging out tight games.
After trailing Loughgiel at half-time in the drawn Ulster Final, Slaughtneil threw caution to the wind. But despite Mary Kelly’s goal early in the second half, it looked like the Antrim girls had their measure.
A Rachel McCarry point opened up a four point gap and it looked a lost cause before Slaughtneil reeled them in to grab a replay. With time to reflect and a few mid-week words of advice from hurling captain Chrissy McKaigue the Derry champions finished the job off at Glen the following Saturday.
“The hurlers won, we drew and Chrissy spoke very well back at the hall. We thought if he came and elaborated on what he meant that night it would help,” admitted joint manager Damien McEldowney.
“Chrissy, being Chrissy it was no problem for him. He spoke to the girls before the replay, they took on board what he said and a lot of it made a lot of sense to them.”
Again it was a game of roller-coaster proportions, armed with no shortage of late drama. Slaughtneil had a late Mary Kelly goal disallowed, turning elation into devastation – like the flick of a switch. There was still time for a winner. Again it was Kelly who, when faced with the last chance, went for broke and handpassed to the back of the net.
After the Christmas break, with more training and challenge games thrown in, Slaughtneil edged out title favourites Burgess after a cracking game in Inniskeen. Therese Mellon’s fine individual goal put them on their way in the second half.
On Sunday, they will face a youthful Sarsfields side with six minors in their starting team. Maria Cooney, daughter of five time All-star Joe, is likely to form a midfield trio with Niamh and Orlaith McGrath.
Kate Gallagher will act as a link to the inside trio of Klara Donohue, Sarah Spellman and Siobhan McGrath.
Clodagh McGrath is the fourth of the clan and alongside Orlaith and Niamh they helped Galway to the 2009 U16 All-Ireland.
Clodagh played for Galway’s Intermediate team, who lost to Derry by a point in the 2012 All-Ireland Final replay. Aoife and Eílis Ní Chaiside formed the defensive spine for the Oakleafers.
THIS IS NOW
Sunday brings a new target and speaking to the County Derry Post, Damien McEldowney has total faith in his side.
On the eve of the Ulster Final McEldowney predicted they had the ingredients to win a first provincial crown.
“Honestly I really, really did believe it, knowing the way the girls train. When I had them at reserve level with uncle Gerry, (McEldowney) they all played - Aoife, Eílis, Mary (Kelly), Siobhan McKaigue and JB (Jolene Bradley).
“I always knew it would happen someday, with the right training, with Dominic and Thomas with them, taking them in the right direction.”
With an unthinkable All-Ireland title within touching distance, McEldowney casts his mind back. March 17, 2015 and the club’s first date at headquarters.
“That day was one of those proud club moments, for me watching boys you grew up with playing in Croke Park. No harm to the footballers, but this Sunday will top everything,” quipped the joint boss.
“Being on the line with these girls, knowing the work they have done to get there, the commitment they have put in – they really do deserve to be there.”
The group have been through the mill, on the pitch and off it. Celebrating victories together and standing shoulder to shoulder at the passing of their iconic, lifelong leader Thomas Cassidy.
McEldowney flicks back to the October chapter as Loughgiel threatened to quash Slaughtneil’s title hopes.
“A lot of other teams would have gave up. With everything that went on the week before it would have been easy to give up but those girls don’t know how to give up.”
What makes them special? Camogie ability is one aspect but McEldowney digs deeper into the team’s inner fabric.
“Closeness and togetherness, they are so kind and so considerate of everyone. The young girls coming in – they nurture them. It’s not a chore to come up and train them.”
With Aoife and Eilís Ní Chaiside on board, McEldowney travelled south to ‘scout’ Burgess. The homework on Sarfields is a sketchy version, not having the advantage of seeing them at first hand.
“I heard that they didn’t expect to get out of Galway. They are coming through, people are not expecting a lot of them and they are winning games. They are not in the All-Ireland Final for no reason, they are a good team.
“They are a very young team and their forwards are fast. We’re not going to dwell too much on them, we’ll prepare our girls. We have some of the best players in Ireland. They’ll have to worry about the likes of Shannon (Graham), Eílis (Ní Chaiside) and Louise (Dougan). We’ll prepare, go out with our strongest team and if we have to make a change during a game we will.
From the mid-sixties, with Tommy Rogers the ‘driving force’, the white blouses and the brown pinafores – camogie in Slaughtneil has transformed to a new level. It wasn’t always like this. Interest weaned and the club practically dissipated by 1980.
Seven years on, with Thomas Cassidy involved in the mix, camogie made a renaissance. Croke Park wasn’t on the radar then, it was more about keeping the cogs turning.
A few more cylinders have been added to the engine since and Sunday will see the fruits. It is a new dawn for Sarsfields as well.
To the outside eyes, seeking Slaughtneil’s secret. There are many, With an endless supply of people giving their time over the years, unselfishly with the maroon and white jersey of at the core - it’s number one. McEldowney is a true representation of that.
Where will Bill Carroll spend 2017? Damien McEldowney knows what he wants. “It’s going to be a new name on the cup and hopefully it is us.”