The Roscommon Ladies U-14 team will attempt to create their own piece of history this Sunday by capturing the U-14 Ladies All-Ireland B title in Pearse Park in Longford. The team have enjoyed great success this year, having already won an All-Ireland B blitz earlier in the year. The U-14 Ladies Championship season began in encouraging fashion with a competent win over Sligo in the opening round of the Connacht Championship in the spring. This was followed by defeats at the hands of Galway and Mayo which ended their interests in the A Competition but all was not lost as they went on to capture the Connacht B Championship when defeating Leitrim. Their win against Tipperary in the semi-final has brought them to this stage in the competition where they will face Wicklow in Sunday’s final in Pearse Park. It is a game which manager Brendan Cregg knows will be anything but easy. ‘We played Wicklow in the final of the blitz tournament and it was a very close game. They are a very physical team so we know we are going to be up against it. ‘They had a great win against a Tyrone team who were tipped to win out this competition so we know how good they are.’ This Roscommon team beat Tipperary quite convincingly in their last outing and hopes are high that they can capture this All-Ireland title which will be the first of its nature in their history. ‘We would be hopeful going into the game. We have no injury worries and training has been going well. We got to the semi-final last year so hopefully things will fall into place on Sunday’ said Brendan. ‘The fact the game is in Pearse Park is a great comfort to us as it is a bit like a home venue so at least we won’t have to travel a long distance to get to the game, which is a help.’ County vice-chairperson Sandra Shanagher also lent her support behind these girls and complimented them on the work they have done all year. ‘I was involved with these girls at U-12 level and they are fantastic to work with. There are so committed, do whatever is asked of them and are very appreciative of the work that is being done. ‘Going on their form all year there is no reason why they can’t win this final and then we can build from there. The ambition would be to be able to challenge the likes of Galway and Mayo in the near future as we are not that far away at the moment,’ added Sandra, who believes that if this team can perform to the best of their abilities this Sunday then they have an All-Ireland title well within their sights. This young team will probably line out with the reliable Maggie Wallace in goals. Niamh Toolan, Sheena Rodgers, Gillian Dufficy and Maeve Holmes should feature in an impressive backline which performed excellently against Tipperary in the last round. The hard-working Natalie McHugh and Katie McLoughlin will play in midfield while the team will look to the likes of Rebecca Coyle, Siobhan Creevy and Aine Kelly to get the all-important scores in a forward line which has been scoring for fun recently. So the stage has been set for these girls. An All-Ireland title awaits the winners of this game and let’s hope that it’s coming home to the west to put smiles back on all those faces involved in Ladies Football in the county and who should be highly commended for the work they have done in recent times. Throw in is at 1.15p.m. this Sunday.
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