Leitrim never got going on the day says Muireann Devaney
TG4 LGFA All-Ireland Intermediate Championship Quarter-Final reaction
Muireann Devaney admitted that finding words to explain Leitrim’s TG4 LGFA All-Ireland IFC Quarter Final defeat at the hands of Roscommon last Sunday was difficult, but discounted the notion that the Green & Gold’s status as favourites played a role in the loss.
Speaking after the 2-12 to 2-8 defeat in Heartland Credit Union Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada, Muireann admitted that defeat was tough to take: “It's really, really disappointing, I probably don't have a lot to say. We might have come in as favourites but we weren't listening to any of that. We knew Roscommon were going to come back a much, much better team and they did.
“We prepared as well as we could and I don't think we came in too complacent or anything like that. We just could not seem to get going on the day. Jonny left no stone unturned and we did try our very, very best. I think we did go down fighting, but unfortunately it just wasn't enough today. We never got going, and we didn't get the scores on the board.”
The Glencar Manorhamilton woman expected a very different challenge from Roscommon than what was witnessed in the Connacht Final and she highlighted their defensive strategy: “We knew that it wasn't going to be the same as the Connacht final. We knew Roscommon were going to come much better, and they did. They sat Saoirse Wynne in as a sweeper and, if you ask me, she's one of the best backs in the country. She can read the game to a T, and then she can get up the field and get back down again.
"They did that today. They didn't do it in the Connacht final. It paid off for them, there's not really much else to say, only we're extremely disappointed. We didn't come in here to lose, but unfortunately we're on the wrong side of the result.”
Muireann agreed that Leitrim would take time to reflect on the loss after a busy year: “At the start of the year, we set our targets and that was to get out of Division 4 and then win Connacht. After that, you're hoping you're getting back to Crowe Park, which we did two years ago. And that's cut short this year, so we're going to have to reflect and regroup.
“All we can do is go again and keep trying. It is a position we're probably used to but now in Leitrim, after winning one All-Ireland, they look for you to win more. We set the standards high for ourselves and hopefully, come next year, we'll be back again.”