Cautious Muireann sets Glencar Manorhamilton's sights on three-in-a-row in Gotham Dry Wall LGFA Senior Championship

They may be going for three-in-a-row and Connacht Senior club finalists but Muireann Devaney believes that Glencar Manorhamilton could be regarded as underdogs for this year’s Gotham Dry Wall Leitrim LGFA Senior A Championship crown, writes John Connolly.

Speaking at the launch of the championship, Muireann, pictured with clubmate Gemma Tiffoney,  believes any number of teams are capable of dethroning them: “Every team will be out to get us again this year but I don’t think we’ll be going in as hot favourites to any county championship this year, we could even be put down as underdogs.

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“We’ve lost a few players this year but we’ve also gained so we will take every game as it comes and we will give every team the respect they deserve. I look forward to a good Leitrim Ladies Senior championship for 2022.”

Glencar Manorhamilton start off the defence of their crown in Boggaun next Sunday by hosting neighbours Dromahair so it is a game to really look forward to: “Definitely, it’ll be a great game to kick off the championship and we look forward to that and hopefully get a big crowd out. The Dromahair game against ourselves is one we’ll always look forward to and a victory is the only thing we’ll be looking for.”

Highlighting the challenges posed by St Joseph’s, Kiltubrid and Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins, Muireann nevertheless sets out Glencar Manor’s stall for the season while agreeing that the other teams will be targeting them: “We fear no team, we’ll give them all the respect and  we look forward to the task ahead and there is no team in the championship that you say you look forward to playing them or it’ll be an easy victory or anything like that. 

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“Every game is going to bring a different battle and we look forward to the old rivalries and the new ones too - we respect every team and give them the respect they deserve but like every other team, there is only one place you want to be at the end of it and that’s County Champions.”

For Muireann, there is an added challenge as she balances playing with high flying Athlone Town in the SSE Airtricity Women’s National League and lining out with Glencar Manor but you sense it is a challenge she enjoys: “I suppose some could say it is tough but to me, I look forward to every game.

“Playing with Athlone and coming back to your club, there is no pressure on either side. We’ve had great management with the club and I think the girls have shown that when I’m there with the club is a bonus but when I’m not, they don’t need me to win. The County Final last year, unfortunately I wasn’t able to be there but I think they’re performance that day showed they were well able to win without me.”

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As for immediate ambitions, it is clear a three-in-a-row looms large in Muireann’s thoughts: “A good team wins once, a great team wins twice and hopefully, we’ll be the team to win three in a row. Look, I’m not getting over-confident yet, I know we’ve lost a lot of players this year but we have new management in and they understand the task ahead and so do we and we’ll take nothing for granted, fingers crossed it goes our way but all we can do it give it a try.”