Mullahoran's Reilly aiming to go one better

Standard at senior level is "unbelievable"

With several strong sides in contention for a tilt at the Keating Cup, this year’s Cavan ladies SFC will be another extremely competitive renewal, according to Mullahoran’s county star Sheila Reilly.

Mullahoran were defeated in the decider by Crosserlough last season but Reilly believes that the experience will stand to them as they look to win the title for the first time since this century.

Lacken and Lurgan shared the 12 championships from 2007 to 2018 inclusive between them but the emergence of Crosserlough along with the likes of Killygarry and Reilly’s own Mullahoran has really shaken up the senior scene.

“We were in the senior final last year against Crosserlough. It was great to get there, ultimately we were disappointed with the result,” stated Sheila.

“When you’re up against a team like Crosserlough and that calibre of players, they are really outstanding, they really brought it to us, they’re such a competitive team. We knew going into that game that it wasn’t going to be easy.

“I suppose, look, we are back to the drawing board this year. We have reflected on things that went wrong in the final and we want to put those things right. Looking back at the video, there were some simple things that we got wrong and it’s imperative that you have those things right going into a county final.

“It was a little bit of nerves, we have a lot of young players and it was their first outing in a senior final. They have gained that experience now of playing in a senior final and hopefully they can bring it through this year.

“There is a huge talent amount of talent there, we just need to start bringing that to fruition this year.”

The standard of play across the board at senior level is outstanding, she believes.

“It really is, it’s unbelievable. When you look at the other teams, Killygarry weren’t in the senior final last year but we know they have a huge amount of young players emerging into their senior set-up and they’ll surely be there or thereabouts this year.

“When you look at Gowna, they have had their stint at intermediate and we know what that’s like. They will be really looking to get a senior win, they are dark horses and they are rivals too.

“There is a huge amount of respect between both teams and there always has been. You can’t beat that rivalry, we hate it but we love it and it gives us all a competitive edge.”

Along with the likes of the Sheridan sisters, Reilly is one of the most experienced players on the Mullahoran side but her status as a county footballer brings no added pressure when she turns out for the club, she said.

“I’m playing a few years now and I’m not one of the youngest so you have to have that leadership and you have to be ready to step up. Does it bring extra pressure? There are so many brilliant players around me and so many leaders so I certainly don’t consider myself too outspoken or anything like that.

“They’re such a great bunch, I don’t think you’d ever feel any pressure as such.”

Cavan ladies have continued to work hard in the lockdown, with remote meetings and individual training plans keeping them ticking over.

“We’ve been brought to a stop with Covid but we have been doing our bit through lockdown. It wasn’t always easy to stay motivated but we are very grateful to the lads [management], they have really done their best to keep us motivated and ready for September when the time comes.

“We have a brilliant S&C coach this year, Martin, and right from the get-go he had programmes up. We had Zoom calls every Saturday morning. But look, we’re only human at the end of the day. We’ve done our best, we just have to deal with whatever is ahead of us in the championship.”

Above all though, she says, it’s just great to be back.

“I am delighted. I am playing so many years and I enjoy it so much. We have to be realistic, we have to take it as it comes. There have been so many questions of whether we should be back playing, we have to be conscious of that.

“I think the county board are doing an incredible job in trying to make sure everyone is at ease going back and putting all the procedures in place. It’s brilliant to be back and brilliant to be with the girls, even meeting up, it’s great for your head of nothing else. The rest, we’ll just take it as it comes.”