​Sticking to the plan was key to St Brigid’s Connacht Junior success says Karen McGovern

​Sticking to what had brought them a Leitrim title and a place in the AIB Connacht Junior Club Final last Saturday was key to St Brigid’s success according to Karen McGovern after their impressive 2-17 to 3-6 victory over Shamrock Gaels.

Speaking after their victory, Karen stressed the team’s ability to stick to their game-plan, no matter what! “It's absolutely fantastic - serious battle out there. We knew it wasn't going to be easy, so it's about just staying calm, holding on to the ball, sticking to the task, sticking to the plan and just staying with it basically.”

That philosophy was tested when Shamrock Gaels hit two goals in under a minute to take the lead in the first half but it was nothing St Brigid’s weren’t prepared for: “That's what we've experienced all year. One of the things we've really learned is they're going to get a proper patch, that's going to happen. So we just have to go with it and reset, reset, reset every time and keep playing.”

Although named in the programme as the manager, Karen was adamant that the St Brigid’s management was a team effort, sharing the workload with Barbara Gunn, Gerard Houston, Kerry Meehan, Mary McKeon, Sinead Quinn, Megan Lavin, Sid O’Connor, Tess Maguire and Mary Curran in the St Brigid’s backroom.

That togetherness was evident on the pitch with Karen agreeing that there were a number of candidates for the Player of the Match award that went to Dearbhla Gunn: “Oh gosh, all over the pitch – Edel Shanley put in a serious shift. Lisa Cull, Aileen Maguire, Carla Le Guen, look, there's 15 players of the match out there.

“That's what we were about from the beginning of the year. We've a panel of 30 players and it's about a team, it is not about individuals. That's what we wanted to develop and I think today showed that with the confidence that they played in that it's not just one or two players and hoping to get on the right side of the scoreboard. It's actually a whole team performance.”

Saturday’s game was St Brigid’s second outing in just six days after their deferred semi final win over Galway’s Grainne Mhaols and while it was a challenge, Karen felt it may have helped her players: “It was a challenge, but I think in another way, we put on such a good performance and it was a wonderful experience for them again to battle another team.

“I suppose in Leitrim, you're so used to playing the same teams. You get so familiar with your own teams that it's not a mystery, but it's a bigger task when you go outside of the county because you don't get the time to know these players inside out. I mean, you know so much about the player in Leitrim you know what they're having their lunch.

“They stood up to that task last Monday and it's going back to having the confidence in the system that we're playing, the panel that we have, the team that we have. We can make the changes. So, in a way, I would say the turnaround was good because there was less time to think about it.”

Losing the Connacht Junior Final in 2023 was a motivation for St Brigid’s as the Leitrim side were determined to seize the opportunity: “The hurt of that, these opportunities don't come around too often and that's what we focused on as well. That panel of players mightn't be together next year. So, it really is about seizing the moment and taking the opportunity.

“I was fortunate enough - we won this title in 1997 & 1998 and I was fortunate enough to be the captain in 98, let’s say that it is only five years ago, we’ll not talk about the time gone by! But that's the reality of these games - these opportunities don't come around again. So, you have to take it when you get it.”

Next up is an All-Ireland Semi-Final against either the winners of a Britain and Europe playoff or the Ulster champions but for St Brigid’s, wherever the game is fixed for is not a problem! “We were in New York a couple of weeks ago with 22 women, the distance is not going to be an issue, no problem.

“We'll get a panel of players there - this is where we want to be, this is the opportunity we want, that's the fight we want so, bring it on. We are going to enjoy this, it's been great for the surrounding area. Obviously, Ballinamore and Aughnasheelin, it's party time now, so keep the celebrations going.”