*Louise Henchy. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography
Louise Henchy is one of nine players who were in the Banner ladies panel which won the Clare senior ladies title for the first time in 2008.
The midfielder has been ever present since along with Emma O’Driscoll, Laurie Ryan, Louise Woods, Niamh and Aoife Kavanagh, Niamh O’Dea, Niamh Keane and Naomi Carroll all of whom are seeking an eleventh title on Sunday
“We all share a love of sport and we were around for a while before we won anything”, according to Louise who captained the club to the title in 2018 when they beat Kilmihil in the final.
She added, “These successes don’t last forever and one tries to make the most of them when the opportunities come around. The Banner has had a strong representation on county teams winch 2007/2008. There is a great bond amongst the group. The younger girls have had great success through Feile and this has added to the bond”.
Louise gives huge credit to the club’s executive committee. “Our chairperson is Dorothy Meeneghan and she simply cannot do enough for everyone. Earlier this year we lost a very important member of the executive committee in Michael McInerney who was the backbone of a lot that went on in the club. Ita Mahoney is another who does invaluable work for the club”.
She acknowledges that the absence of Michael McInerney from Sunday’s final “will be strange. He hailed from Cross which is in the heart of the West Clare Gaels area. We have always had a great rivalry with them going back over the years. Michael’s death was so unexpected. He would be very happy that we are back in the final”.
Losing last year’s final to Kilmihil is a huge driving force this year, the midfielder admitted. “That fact that we have nine of the 2008 panel still involved shows the loyalty that these players have to the club. One of two took a year out to travel but all returned and most of the players have been around over the last decade which is a major testament to how the club is run”.
According to the Banner star “it would mean as much to win on Sunday as it did when we won the first one. As the years go on you appreciate things more. We want to win as much as we can while we are there. You have to make the most of these things while you are able”.
Louise acknowledged that “these are great times for the Banner club. The men’s teams are doing well in both hurling and football. Their committee are doing a massive amount of work also. There are great facilities there for the players. It’s a real group effort in both clubs”, she concluded.
