League Final defeat made Leitrim hungry says captain Michelle Guckian
TG4 Connacht LGFA IFC Final reaction:
There is a mantra that you learn more in defeat than victory and if that is the case, Leitrim certainly heeded the lessons from the Lidl NFL Division 4 Final loss to Carlow according to captain Michelle Guckian who stressed that on their day, the Green & Gold are a match for anyone.
Speaking after the 4-18 to 0-8 demolition of Roscommon, Michelle spoke of Leitrim’s determination to bounce back from the League Final defeat: “I think the league final, the defeat there made us hungry and we knew that we didn't display the football that we wanted in Division 4. We know we have such a talented team and we didn't get to display what we can do and just, we know when it clicks, it clicks and it really goes well and it clicked today and, by God, we got some great scores and it was just magic.”
Proving a point seems to have been a motivation and Roscommon were on the wrong end of the League Final backlash! “We want to show what we're about, I think some people might have thought that 2024, we got a few easy wins and probably fluked it a little bit. But that's not us - we put down a marker, we show what we can do. We have a brilliant team, we have a brilliant system and when everyone's on form, we're unstoppable and we know that and I'm sure Roscommon know that after that. Roscommon are definitely a good team. They held their own in Division 3, we know that they're a tough, tough team but we always up our game in the Championship.”
Jonny Garrity sprung a surprise for Sunday’s Final with Michelle swapping her forward’s jersey for the number 1 shirt. It was a surprise for fans and even the Leitrim captain admitted being caught out by the move!
“I definitely was surprised, it was a bit of a last minute thing but look, it's something that happens, I've played there enough to know the ins and outs of it. I actually wasn't nervous, no, I was excited, I love Championship, just love sunshine football, I know it wasn't a great day today but Championship is just brilliant. It's where everyone wants to be, I'm at it a long time and every year you still love it no matter what happens, you love it even more so it's great. Definitely wasn't nervous, excited and wanted to get the win but definitely excited more than nervous.”
Leitrim now face into the All-Ireland campaign determined to repeat the success of two years ago and certainly Michelle is full of belief in what she and her teammates can achieve: “We're chomping at the bit, I'm looking forward to the draw and see who we get and it'll be good.
“I know we're a wee county, we're a small, small county but, by God, we're packed with talent, as you said from the full back line to the full forward line and all in between. We have girls absolutely chomping at the bit for places in that team and it's just brilliant, the intensity of training, girls bouncing off each other, wanting to get on the starting team.
“Nobody knows what the starting team is going to be, it could be anything and it's literally fighting tit for tat for places and it just brings such a fantastic level to the football, it's just brilliant and our talent that we have in this county, it just needs to be shown off that little bit more, we need to be more proud and push on.”