Laura O'Dowd well aware of Antrim threat to Leitrim's League ambitions

Leitrim might start next Sunday’s Lidl LGFA Division 4 Final as firm favourites in some quarters but Laura O’Dowd and her teammates are well aware of the danger posed by Antrim, expecting nothing but a tight battle in Parnell Park.

The long serving attacker is wary of the challenge posed by the Saffrons ahead of the Division 4 Final: “We played them the last few years in Division 4 and last year in particular, we had them in Ballinamore and I think it maybe was one or two points we won by in the end. Generally, it is always a pretty tough battle.

“I know there are some fantastic forwards in there who are really leading the team for them so I suppose we haven’t seen them or haven’t played them in over a year now so it is hard to know what they’re going to bring but they’re obviously going to be fantastic.”

Get your tickets for Leitrim's Lidl LGFA Division 4 Final next Sunday

The fact that Antrim had a comprehensive semi-final victory over a Limerick team who drew with Leitrim in the group stages is another pointer for Laura: “You see them coming out well on top of Limerick in the semi-final so we just need to prepare the best we can and it will probably be a very exciting final.”

Leitrim’s last experience of the Division 4 Final came two years ago when Louth shocked the previously unbeaten Green & Gold in Clones and Laura believes she and her teammates have learned some valuable lessons from that harsh experience.

“Hopefully, it will stand to us. We know what it is like to be in the losing position - last year, same thing happened, we only got as far as the semi-final so I think having that little bit more experience, I know Antrim haven’t even made the semi-final in a few years, we’re hoping that bit of experience will get us across the line.”

Talking to the Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins footballer, the theme of learning from disappointments comes up again and again: “We were really disappointed last year when we made the semi-final and got knocked out by Offaly who eventually went on to win it so we were really disappointed last year. We’ve come in with a hunger this year and we’re absolutely delighted to be back in the Division 4 Final.”

Looking back over the League campaign, Laura points to the resilience and strength in depth as key to the progress Jonny Garrity’s side have made in 2023: “We had Derry in our first game followed by Kilkenny so the two of them didn't tell a lot about us as a team or whereabouts we as a team were at. 

“Then we met Limerick and it was a completely different ball game - obviously Limerick are at the standard as well, so I think that was the wake-up call that we needed and I think ideally it would have been better had we had Limerick or Wicklow earlier in the group stages but it is the way it fell and I think it probably stood to us.

“We knew we had Limerick into Wicklow into Fermanagh, they were three really strong teams and we were able to step up the standard then.”

The semi-final victory over Fermanagh came after an titanic extra-time that displayed Leitrim’s resilience: “It really went down to the wire in the end and overall, I don’t think we were really happy with our performance and I suppose when we look back and review the game, there was a lot of mistakes.

“I don’t think we brought enough intensity to the game so I suppose in the second half, having said that, I think we really showed our strength as a team and resilience to come out two points on top at the end. 

Leitrim emerge from extra time thriller to book place in Lidl LGFA Division 4 Final

LEITRIM 1-12 FERMANAGH 1-10 (AET)

“Fermanagh are a fantastic team, over the last couple of years, they are getting stronger and stronger every year so we knew they were going to bring it to us and they definitely did, it really did come down to the wire. We’re absolutely delighted to get over that hurdle but the final is the big one.”

Michelle Guckian remains Leitrim’s taliswoman but Laura believes the scoring burden has been lifted off the team’s captain this year: “Gucks is just a fantastic footballer, I think a lot of the opposition focus on Gucks but when I look back over this year, in every game, all of our starters have scored something in at least one of the games. 

“There are fantastic scorers in the team outside of Gucks as well and I think that has really worked to our advantage as well this year. A lot of teams focus on Gucks but we’re really lucky that we do have the variety of forwards who can score.”

Another footballer doing very well is Laura’s sister Eilish, now lining out with powerhouse Dublin and while Laura acknowledges what a loss her sister is to Leitrim, she is delighted to see her sister prosper in the Sky Blue.

Manager Jonny Garrity delighted with Leitrim Ladies battling spirit

“Eilish is doing fantastic with Dublin, she has really excelled. Obviously she is a huge loss to Leitrim but she is doing fantastic, she is living and her life is in Dublin, it makes sense for her to be playing there..”

As for Sunday’s Final, Eilish is quite confident: “Training is going well, we’re preparing very well - everything is going good for us so far. It is going to be a huge, huge task and it is going to take 100% from absolutely everybody - whether a starter or a finisher, it is going to take everything we can give. We’re confident and hopefully it will be enough to get us across the line.”