McIntyre says Leitrim just have to go again

Leitrim have no choice but to go all out again next Saturday when they meet Donegal in the TG4 LGFA All-Ireland SFC Relegation Final according to Rachel McIntyre, as the St Joseph’s player believes the Green & Gold are heading in the right direction.

With a battling 2-14 to 0-13 loss at the hands of Mayo in Tubbercurry last Saturday, Rachel believes the harsh lessons learned against Dublin and Waterford will eventually pay dividends: “I think Dublin and Waterford gave us a lot of experience so we've definitely been improving game on game.

“That's what Jonny (Garrity) wants from us, just to improve game on game and today I think we showed hopefully our best, but obviously we just have to go and do it again. Donegal next up and hopefully we will maintain our senior status, that'll be very important especially for next year, but hopefully we win.”

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Mayo’s strength and experience told in a game of small margins: “Mayo are a very experienced senior team, I know they've lost a few players this year but they still are very experienced, obviously they are still very strong, they've been a senior team for I don't even know how long.

“But I think, for our first year up into senior this year, I think we've done quite well and since Dublin and Waterford, we've just got better game on game and I think next year now we'll be able to show what we're able to do. So we just have to go and do it again now next Saturday.”

Given her performances this year, it is hard to believe that it is the St Joseph’s player’s first year with the County Senior Ladies and it is safe to say that Rachel is enjoying every minute of the experience! “They're a lovely group to play with and Johnny his management too, we just believe in ourselves.

“That's really all he wants from us, he just says belief is the main thing. Obviously they believed a lot last year and they won the Intermediate Championship. I'm finding my first year good and I’m enjoying it.”

Asked to pinpoint the differences between club and county football, Rachel points to the often unseen work that goes on with a County side: “I don't know - working up and back down the field a lot, you don't you get a lot of time on the ball, you probably do more in club but it is probably the unseen side of the game.

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“Even if the ball is on the other side of the pitch, you need to be working back up or down the field. At club level, you can kind of trust the forwards to do the work but at county level, I suppose you need to be up supporting the ball all the time, you can't let anyone be alone by themselves.”