Dolan and Corcoran aim to lead Lurgan to glory again

Ten days out from the county final, the sun is shining at Dolan Park and all is well in the world for the Lurgan ladies footballers.

“It’s a lovely evening to play football, we’re going out to train this evening. There’s a real good championship feel to it now, a good buzz in the build-up,” joint-captain Roisin Dolan said.

“It has been the goal from the start of the year and you’d hope with a bit of experience from being in county finals before that we can kind of keep our cool about it. It’s good to be back, it’s a good feeling.”

Dolan shares the captaincy duties with Eimear Corcoran and both were honoured to be asked to fulfil the role.

“It’s so nice to be one of the leaders, it’s a great honour and those younger girls really show us not to have any fear of these bigger teams,” said Corcoran, who is in her seventh year on the senior team.

“I’ve been playing against these teams for a longer time and the younger girls just don’t have that fear factor or instilled nerves that do come with it.

“They definitely do teach us that and they bring different skills from other sports like basketball and camogie and athletics. It’s a nice full circle moment to be a captain now and to have had all these leaders before us, having been looking up to other people for so long, it’s nice to be the captain now and be one of the leaders and try to bring whatever I have learned from the other girls to this group of younger girls now.”

“Anthony gave me a buzz at the start of the year, I was in with the county at the time and I suppose he wanted to keep an eye on us and get reports back on how that was going!” joked Roisin.

“Eimear has been around for years as part of the set-up so I think he saw two girls who get on with everyone and are leaders… It’s a huge honour.

“My role is checking in with the girls, seeing how people are doing, see if there’s anything that people want in the lead-up to the final. Bits of physio, you’re making sure girls are looked after, recovery sessions, and also after our semi-final, there would be people disappointed not getting game time who have been training well… Linking in with everyone, keeping the vibes good in the camp.”

The vibes have been very good all year. Both captains returned to the theme of Lurgan being a youthful side with a lot of talented teenagers.

“I was part of the management in 2022 when the minor girls won Ulster so there is that kind of familiarity, you know those girls very well and how they work together,” explained Eimear.

“Niamh Daly took it on (managing the minors). Our first year was in ’22, we won the county final and went on to win Ulster, last year we lost the Ulster final narrowly.

“I suppose her thinking was that we knew them very well from playing with them, we’re kind of spoiled that a lot of the underage girls are so talented and have the confidence to play with the senior team. I was delighted to go for it and go back again last year.”

The work required to compete and be successful at senior level is immense, said Eimear.

“It is actually a big commitment, I think it does sometimes get harder. It’s really hard during the Leaving Cert and the exam years, then you go to college and it’s tough as well but the commitment does get harder and harder you want to try to progress your professional career as much as you can too but the football does have a hold on you and it’s so hard to leave it behind.

“When you taste a little bit of success in your younger years, it’s hard to forget that, you want more and more and more. Each year that you play, you nearly want it again even more. You can’t stay at home for football forever so it’s trying to get that balance and it can be tricky.

“Then you have these younger girls coming up from minor pushing for places which makes you work even harder to try to keep your place… so absolutely, yeah, the juggling does get a little bit trickier.”

The Ladies SFC trophy, the Michelle Keating Cup, is named in honour of the former Lurgan and Cavan player who tragically passed away at a young age. Lurgan are always motivated to keep the trophy in Virginia and doubly so this year as it also sadly marked the passing of club stalwart Owen Hanratty.

“We always want to keep it close to home. Earlier this year as well, Owen Hanratty, one of our founding members and our club president passed away. So you’re always keeping those people in the back of your mind and this year it would be special if we can get over the line,” said Roisin.

For Eimear, a Speech and Language therapist based in Dun Laoghaire, there is a real buzz heading into final week.

“We’re really excited, the nerves are building as well but we’re absolutely looking forward to it.

“I do get a little bit nervous definitely coming up to it, maybe not so much in the build-up but right before the game but I think it does help as well, it keeps you focused.”