Former All Star Sarah McLoughlin confirms retirement and calls for more consideration for player welfare

It wasn’t the ending she had hoped for but last Sunday’s Gotham Dry Wall LGFA Senior A Final marked the end of an era as former Leitrim All Star and All-Ireland Intermediate winner Sarah McLoughlin confirmed that she had played her final club game for Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins.

Ballinamore were contesting their second major Final in a week but found champions Glencar Manorhamilton that bit stronger, winning out 5-6 to 2-10 in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada. 

Deadly Devaney leads Glencar Manorhamilton to treble over battling Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins

GLENCAR MANORHAMILTON 5-6 BALLINAMORE SEAN O'HESLINS 2-10

It was also the end of a storied career for Sarah who won Leitrim’s last All-Star in 2007 after starring for the Green & Gold in the TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate Championship victory against Wexford as Sarah confirmed that last Sunday was her last game.

Despite the disappointment of last Sunday, Sarah told the Observer “It has been an amazing road, it has been an incredible 20-25 years of football - so many highs, a lot of lows. Today would have been the cherry on top to come away with a club senior championship with my home club Ballinamore.

“But it has been an amazing career, I loved every minute of it and I will be here in the stands supporting Ballinamore in the future at every game.”

A driving presence in the middle of the park for years with Aughawillan, Oughteragh Gaels and Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins as well as Leitrim, Sarah also made an impassioned plea for greater consideration to be given to player welfare after Ballinamore played two finals in the space of a week.

“It is a fair achievement,” said Sarah of reaching both Senior A & B Finals, before adding “But it is a bit disappointing because I think it shows a lack of respect for player wellbeing and the girls, I think it was very harsh that we had to play a final last Sunday, I think that needs to be considered.

THERE'S NO PERFECT WAY TO LOSE

THE LAST POINT

“It is not the first time it has happened so you think they would have learned from last year. I thought that it was very disappointing to go out and play two big finals two Sundays in a row - the welfare of players needs to be looked after, definitely going forward.

“Manor would have had time to regroup, to rest and two weeks to build for this game. We had to go out and battle against Kiltubrid, you had to worry about risking injury for the following week. It was definitely a difficult predicament we found ourselves in

Sarah was full of praise for the resolve and determination her teammates display in the atrocious conditions as they pushed the champions all the way to the line: “I was here two years ago with management on the line and we had given very clear commands for the girls to do and we went out that day and a little bit of inexperience, youth, they just didn’t go out and perform on that day. 

“The team that we have built over the last two years is just phenomenal, I’m so proud to be out there today with that bunch of girls because we fought to the bitter end. We were up at halftime and even with five, 10 minutes to go, we were still in it and at one point, there was literally only one kick in it. 

“At one stage I looked up at the scoreboard and counted up their goals and we had more scores than they did but just unfortunately goals win matches at times and the goals absolutely destroyed us.”

Time fixed for Connacht Gold Leitrim SFC Final

The impact of Player of the Match Muireann Devaney on the game was evident and Sarah felt Ballinamore coped reasonably well despite adopting a high risk strategy: “Muireann is a quality player but you know we decided to push up on their press and we did leave her isolated.

“We were okay with that because it was working for us - we were winning their kickouts and pushing up on them but I suppose they were just lucky that they got that one or two flukey goals and we just didn’t have that luck today. But there was nothing in it and I’m so unbelievably proud of our girls today.”

and hopefully going forward, no other team will have to do that.”