Loughmacrory and Sigersons All Set To Do Battle In Ladies Junior Final.

Wednesday 22.08.2012

Club

The Tyrone ladies junior football champions have in the recent past been the flag bearers of Tyrone ladies football at national club level. Both St Enda’s and Sperrin Og have claimed Ulster titles and while Omagh were unlucky not to take home the all Ireland title, the Greencastle girls went one better and wrote their names into ladies Gaelic football folklore by clinching the national club crown. Loughmacrory and Strabane know they will have plenty to live up to if they manage to take home the Brenda Logue Memorial Cup at the end of Thursday night’s junior decider.
That said it’s not Ulster or all Ireland titles that will worry Conal Curran or Alex Curry as they prepare their respective teams for the decider at Greencastle, home of the reigning champions. The Brenda Logue Cup is of course special to the St Teresa’s club and that gives them an extra incentive as they prepare to face a Sigersons side who have enjoyed a good season thus far in their run to the final.
Inspired by midfielder Tori McLaughlin and talented forwards Donna Devine and veteran attacker Andrea McCauley Strabane are keen to step up a grade, but perhaps are far more interested in lifting some silverware. Wins over Pomeroy and Mna Na Deirge booked Strabane’s place in the final but that progress hasn’t come as a surprise as captain Laura Coyle explained.
“We are not just a team but we are friends, We are lucky to have a mix of older, experienced players alongside the younger players who are definitely making their mark in this grade this year”
Coyle a 29 year old defender is determined that the hard work on the training pitches at Sigerson Park won’t be wasted. ”We have really put the effort in this year and now we have reached the county final. It’s been a record breaking year for Strabane under the guidance of our manager Alex Curry and we thank him and his management team for their dedication.”
Management has played a key part for Loughmacrory also. The junior double winners of 1999, four years after they were formed were a well drilled outfit and the current crop that wear the black and amber are equally well versed on the park. Conal Curran and Sean Donaghy have at their disposal a well balanced but youthful squad. Lisa McAleer, Una Toner and Gemma O’Brien are the three more experienced players in the side. A fancied Aghyaran were dispatched in the first round while Moy’s challenge was brushed aside in the semi-final, 5-28 scored and 2-10 conceded.
It could be argued then that the girls from the Lough have come through the harder side of the draw but the scene is set for a keenly contested final. These are two talented teams with plenty of influential players who can turn a game in an instant. One of those is the Loughmacrory captain Orla Toner and the flying forward is looking forward to the encounter and keen to maintain an unbeaten run in 2012.
“I am delighted to be part of this dedicated bunch of girls. It’s been a privilege to captain the side too. We remain unbeaten over the year, however there have been some tough battles along the way.”
A focused approach from early in the year coupled with Curran and Donaghy’s commitment leaves Loughmacory coming into the game as slight favourites but as the captain explained there’s also an extra drive with this team.
“The Junior cup is named after Brenda (Logue). She was a player with us and the cup has special meaning to us all. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than taking that cup home”
The Tyrone champions will eventually turn their attentions to challenging for Ulster in the month of October but for now the finalists will have their sights firmly fixed on just getting over the line in one of the most competitive counties in the country.