Leitrim captain Michelle vows to stay grounded as All-Ireland Final excitement grows
TG4 LGFA All-Ireland IFC Final: Green & Gold captain will stay focused on Tyrone clash but admits enjoying hype leading up to Croke Park date
Trying to keep a lid on the growing excitement around the county ahead of next Sunday’s TG4 LGFA All-Ireland IFC Final is something of an impossible task but captain Michelle Guckian is relishing the experience, all while trying to keep focused on the task in hand.
Speaking at the Leitrim LGFA Press night at the McGovern Leitrim GAA Centre of Excellence, Michelle admitted that the public reaction to reaching the final has been almost overwhelming: “Everyone is delighted, anyone who meet - whether you go for a walk, go into the shops for anything, everyone is just congratulating you.
“They’re, saying ‘well done’ and much of an honour it is, how it has been 17 years since the last one and just reminding you of the history. They’re looking forward to it as much as we are, we’ve had great support the whole way to this point and it means just as much to them as it does to us.
Of course that means the players have to deal with they hype of an All-Ireland Final but it is something the Leitrim captain relishes: “100%, of course there is big hype about it, it is 17 years since Leitrim had been in Croke Park and yeah, the hype is great and it is great to acknowledge it, to see that happening.
“But we have to remain focused at the same time. We use it as a great motivator and it will obviously play a huge part on the day but what we want is to stay focused, stay grounded, keep training and keep our focus.”
Keeping focus has been relatively easy even if it took some time after the dramatic semi-final victory over Wexford for the scale of their achievement to sink in: “We’re ecstatic, delighted to be back and just in training there Wednesday night, it kind of actually sunk in that we are in an All-Ireland Final and we’re three weeks out from an All-Ireland Final in Croke Park so we’re absolutely delighted, can’t wait and the countdown is on.”
SEE THIS WEEK'S LEITRIM OBSERVER, IN SHOPS WEDNESDAY, FOR AN EIGHT PAGE PREVIEW OF SUNDAY'S TG4 LGFA ALL-IRELAND INTERMEDIATE FINAL