Garrity & Leitrim excited to face tough challenge against Dublin and Waterford

Never one to shirk a challenge, Jonny Garrity almost seems to be bubbling with excitement as he contemplates his Leitrim team facing former champions Dublin in this year’s TG4 All-Ireland LGFA Senior Championship this Saturday June 14,  in Parnell Park (2pm throw-in).

Speaking of the daunting challenge ahead of them as they take on Dublin and Waterford on successive weekends, Jonny told the Observer “Both of these teams are amongst the favourites to win the All-Ireland, so we've been given a really tough challenge, but one that we're relishing.

“Whatever the outcome, this is the fruit of our labour last year and we're really determined to go out and show everybody what we're about and to enjoy the experience. Certainly last year we were underdogs in most of the games and we revelled in those situations. We pulled off shock after shock. 

“This season we're hopeful that something similar can occur, although we know that this is taking it to another level again. We're going in with the knowledge that we are a team that's earned our opportunity at this level. We're looking forward to taking it now.”

Dublin drew with a last gasp score against Waterford and the big take-away was the physical power of both teams but Garrity believes that the physicality may actually play in Leitrim’s favour: “I think when you look at the other teams out there, you might say Armagh, Meath, but the other big team with regards to power is Waterford. 

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“That was two extremely powerful teams up against each other last  Sunday - we're going to have to bring a level of physicality that we haven't really been accustomed to up to now. That might not be a bad thing because we felt in the National League Division 4 that the refereeing curtails the power that we've got and we feel that at senior level, we'll be let play a little bit more. I don't think that's going to be a bad thing for us.”

Garrity believes Dublin will be seeking a response to what, for them, was a disappointing 1-13 apiece draw with Waterford in Dungarvan: “I thought it was two really good teams going head to head, but they weren't flawless performances either. We've seen a really uncharacteristic mistake that led to the Waterford goal. 

“I'm sure Dublin are looking to rectify some of the problems that they brought upon themselves and will probably look at us as an opportunity to vent their frustration at not getting the win. That's going to make it all the more of a daunting task for us but, at the same time, we feel that there are certain things that we have seen that we can exploit. We know that we're going to have to put in an unbelievable performance, but we're excited. We can't wait.”

Jonny also stresses that Leitrim are much better than they showed against Galway, pointing to their display against Mayo are more indicative of their true worth: “We've certainly made the case that the Galway game was really, really uncharacteristic from us. 

“Coming six days after the Mayo match, which expended so much energy and losing a few players in that game, it was just the perfect storm. We didn't play particularly well. It was one of those days where you could scratch it and we did. We think that the Mayo match is much more accurate in terms of our performance levels and ability levels - we're going in with that match in our mind”

One cloud on the horizon is injuries and Jonny, while not revealing names, admits that they are in a wait-and-see situation: “We've had a pretty good build-up. It's been disrupted by injury, but at the same time we've been working really hard, so we're looking forward to putting it to the test and seeing where we're at.

“It's been one of those seasons, to be honest, injury-wise, and the build-up post-league really has been no different, but we will see exactly where we're up to later on in the week. It's likely that we'll be missing a few, but as I said, that's no real difference than any of the matches recently.

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“Letting the girls go to the club has been good to some extent but, at the same time, there's girls  that come back injured. That's been a challenge for us then, trying to get them ready again. We've had a few challenge games and the girls have shown well in those matches, so we've adapted and we've ensured that the preparation is everything that it could be.”

That will give players a chance to earn a spot and the Leitrim manager believes they are capable of doing just that: “Utilising the squad and rewarding the gears that are showing with training is important. There's plenty of girls who have put their hands up so we're looking forward to seeing who's good to go and we'll be confident enough on whatever team we select.”

Jonny & his team have no fear of Parnell Park,  a familiar venue with Leitrim beating Wexford there last year in the All-Ireland IFC semi-final: “It's somewhere where we've got really good memories from last season - even the season before we had a National League final there. We're quite happy to go down the road again. It's somewhere we're familiar with and we're looking forward to getting back on that field again. I think we're relaxed and we're looking forward to it.”

DUBS LOOK TO SEAL KNOCKOUT SPOT AFTER WATERFORD DRAW

It is not quite a crisis but Dublin will be looking for a win next Saturday against Leitrim to seal their place in the quarter finals of the TG4 LGFA All-Ireland SFC following a dramatic draw against Waterford last Sunday, writes John Connolly.

In a repeat of their draw in the League, Dublin  hit two late points to snatch a 1-13 apiece draw against a Waterford team who were unlucky not to beat Kerry in the Munster Final. Long serving star Sinead Goldrick had gifted the Deise women an unexpected goal when she kicked her own free straight to the net in the first half but the Dubs showed  their experience as Kate Sullivan hit the equaliser with the last kick of the game.

No more than Leitrim, Dublin are undergoing something of a rebuild with only seven of the team that won the All-Ireland title two years ago in action last Sunday against Waterford. However, that seven include Goldrick, Hannah Tyrell, Carla Rowe, Leah McCaffrey, Martha Byrne, Niamh Hetherton and Ballinamore's Eilish O'Dowd, giving the Dubs a very experienced backbone.

In a strange way, Dublin are probably under more pressure. A Leitrim win would knock the Dubs out and that adds huge pressure for the home side. However, they are a formidable and physically powerful team and you would have to expect the Dubs to prevail here.