*Clare captain Aisling Crowe receives the All-Ireland U18B trophy from LGFA Vice President Brendan Cregg. Photograph: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
CAPTAINING Clare to All-Ireland success was the stuff of dreams for Aisling Crowe.
By Ivan Smyth
On Saturday it became a reality as the Kilrush teenager led Clare to victory over Sligo in the ZuCar All-Ireland Minor B ladies football final. They were aided by a strong Banner support to add to a memorable occasion.
Reflecting on their breakthrough, Aisling said, “It is just incredible. It is something that I would have dreamed of when I was younger, captaining my county to an All Ireland final. We have been thinking about it so much for the last two weeks and I know I said I was trying not to think about it but you couldn’t help it. It feels incredible. I am so proud of the girls. They have worked so hard. We are such a good team to play together. You can see how hard they worked when things weren’t going our way and they were having their purple patch in the second half. We still dug deep and look where we are now”.
There was a swirling breeze in Bekan, the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence but it didn’t deter Clare in the slightest. “We have been training in rain, we have been training in wind so we are used to it. We weren’t going to let the uncontrollable dictate our game. It is something you have to take on the chin on the day and just play on and that is what we did”.
How Clare upped the ante in the final quarter was a real source of pride for the midfielder. “There is something special about this team is no matter what happens and no matter if we were going down and they were getting back into it we wouldn’t stop. We wouldn’t drop our heads and we know ourselves we are playing for each other and drive it on again. The forwards were exceptional. They just tipped the points away.
To receive the All-Ireland trophy from LGFA Vice-President Brendan Cregg was “some feeling,” she admitted. “It is still hard to believe that we are All Ireland champions. This is the highest grade that any girl on this team has ever got to play in. We have never in our lives got to this grade and to win it out and to win it like we did when for so many of us it is our last minor year, it is a really, really special win”.
Their success was made the sweeter given the setbacks of losing the All-Ireland semi-final last year and the U16 All-Ireland final in 2023. “Last year we lost to Sligo in our All Ireland B semi and today we were able to get back at them and win out the final so it takes a lot of hurt away winning this out. We lost an All Ireland final when we were U16s (in 2023) and it is a really special day for us”.
Strong support from the people of Clare really made a difference, Aisling said. “I have never, ever seen the likes. I have never played in front of a crowd with that many Clare people even at club games. It is incredible to see how many people travelled up and support us here today. It really does make a difference. When Aoibheann (Ryan) scored that goal and you heard the roar of the crowd. It makes a huge difference. It really drives you on. It reminds you that you are playing for everyone out there and not only the people on the pitch”.
Progressing onto Clare’s intermediate side will be the target for many of the All-Ireland winners, she felt. “It is such a positive thing and hopefully a few girls will look to move on to an intermediate team. It is huge and hopefully the young girls can take a bit of inspiration from what we have done today and work hard themselves and maybe get to that level today. It is massive for us”.
