*Aisling Reidy. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
CLARE MIDFIELDER Aisling Reidy says they feel a league title is the least they deserve.
Aisling kicked two points on St Patrick’s Day as Clare trounced Antrim. The manner of their thirty point win came as a big surprise, she admitted. “We didn’t expect anything easy. We know they were missing one or two but we still expected a huge battle as this is do or die for them as it was for us to make a league final. At times it may look like we were cruising but that’s down to all the hard work in training we’ve put in, we’re really flying at the minute and we’re looking forward to a league final”.
A fourth year student in UL, she was equally as shocked to contribute to the scoresheet. “A bit unusual [for me to score two points] but I suppose the home ground helped out a little bit”.
Having the game in her home pitch of Gurteen saw some supporters who were unable to make the trip to Croke Park for last year’s All-Ireland final defeat make the shorter trip to the Doora/Barefield grounds to support Aisling and her teammates. “It’s always great to get a good home crowd, we have a great following especially from last year following on from the disappointing All Ireland, people have really got behind us”.
Promotion has been secured to Division 2 which is a big plus, Aisling maintained. “We were hard-done by last year, we fell short at the final hurdle. Having the promotion now we’re back in Division 2 where we belong, we feel. And we’re pushing now for the next two weeks to win the league final and get what we deserve, we feel”.
This year Clare’s panel seems to be stronger with the return of Ailish Considine greatly boosting their attack while Teresa Collins’ emergence to the first fifteen has heightened the competition for places. “The girls on the sideline are pushing us every week at training for positions and I think there’s a really good buzz around the place. We’re really starting to enjoy it and it really helps push your performance when you’re close as a team. We brought through a lot from last year and a few new girls have come in as well so there’s great competition.
“Last year we fell short, only started to perform in the last few minutes so this year we’re trying to start on the right foot as you saw today, and really put teams to bed before half time is what we’re trying to do,” she concluded.
