*Kilmihil defender, Ellie O’Gorman. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
QUALIFYING for the Clare senior final having suffered defeat in the semi-final for the past two years “is massive” for Kilmihil.
That’s according to experienced key defender Ellie O’Gorman, an experienced defender with both club and county.
“We feel we didn’t perform to our best in both of those semi-finals. We have been going well this year and we are unbeaten but that will count for nothing if we don’t get over the line on Sunday. We are facing a big challenge and we will need a big performance with everyone pulling their weight”, the Galway based teacher said this week.
She told The Clare Echo, “A lot of young girls have stepped up this year. Our squad has changed and the starting fifteen has changed since the opening round against our final opponents. The Banner were missing some key players on that occasion. The line up will be different on Sunday”.
During her time lining out with the county, many of the Banner Ladies side were her teammates. “They have some great players but so do we. Our younger players have stood up this year. We will shake hands before the game and we will shake hands after the game but once the ball is thrown in it will be total focus on getting over the line. We have only got over the line once and when we did that in 2019 we thought we would be back there regularly. It’s been six years now since that success. To win on Sunday would be massive for us and that is all we are focussed on. This is the one to win”.
Ellie believes that Killmihil “will have huge support. Football is number one in Kilmihil. The whole community is behind us. We have great support and all will rally around us on Sunday”.