Ladies SFC final poised for thrilling encounter

As Crosserlough and Mullahoran stride across the Bréifne crest emblazoned on the county pitch this Saturday, welcomed by what is expected to be a great support, the teams will be bracing themselves to step into the unknown. 
Each will be emboldened by 100% win records; each have teams decorated by a clutch of county stars; each have confidence in their potent attacks brimming with goal threats, as well as ferociously mean backlines - yet this will be the first time they have come face to face in meaningful battle this year.
With seemingly little to choose between them, it’s with trepidation that the Celt broaches the topic of who’s favourites with the respective managers. Surprisingly, both are content to accept Crosserlough are slight favourites, given their status as runners up to Lurgan in 2018 – their first year at senior grade. Mind you Mullahoran were Lurgan’s victims in the final the year before.

Favourites
It’s funny to think that Mullahoran, an established team that won the very first Ladies Senior Football Championship back in 1976 could surrender the favourites’ tag against a team only established as an intermediate team in 2016.
However, while Mullahoran were this year losing out narrowly to Drumlane in the Division 2 league final in late July, Crosserlough had booked their place in the Division 1 showpiece against Killygarry – a game that has been postponed to early autumn.
“Definitely,” insists Finbar O’Reilly when the Celt asks if it’s fair to say Crosserlough are slight favourites. “They’re definitely favourites.”
He casts his mind back to Wednesday July 17 in the Crover Hotel when a panel of footballing experts gave their thoughts on the championship ahead.
“We were at the Championship preview night in Crover and no one gave Mullahoran a chance. But we’re there now and we’re there on merit. We’re not going in there to make up the numbers either,” vows Finbar.
Crosserlough manager Paul Cahill is understandably more circumspect, noting that both teams have had similar routes to the final, each overcoming Lacken and Lurgan.
“Slight favourites, in the sense that we were in the final last year,” he concedes, “but that would be about all.”
There’s no doubting that a Mullahoran team that boasts the likes of Sheila Reilly, who excelled in the narrow semi-final win over Lacken, and the Sheridan sisters - Geraldine, Mona, Louise and Aisling - will be genuine contenders for the championship crown. Of course the latter is destined to play Aussie Rules having signed for Collingwood in autumn, and as Finbar observes “she’s picked for a reason - she’s an exceptional player with exceptional talent and skill.”
Added to that Mullahoran have Ava Harton doing well up front, and Annie Deneher in the half forward line fresh from winning this year’s U16 Ulster Championship with Cavan.
The team has had some players return after a few years out, including Maggie McKeogh, Ciara Brady, and Catherine Cullen who has been “oustanding in goals”.
Crosserlough have no shortage of talent in their team either, with similar numbers of players who have donned county colours.
Shauna Lynch and Neasa Byrd are the mainstays shoring up the central core of their defence. Up front they have Ciara Finnegan and Lauren McVeety who bring pace, power and the ability to see a killer pass to the Crosserlough attack. This quartet brings an assuredness to the team when they are in form. Midfield pairing Orla Smith and Sinead McKenna have proven major factors in Crosserlough’s successes so far.
Finbar holds Crosserlough in high regard, noting: “They’re a fit young team, and if they’re let play they’ll play – you can see that in the games they’ve played – they won some of them by cricket scores.”
The Celt wonders if Crosserlough could be caught cold in that they haven’t faced a tight game so far.
“The scoreboards don’t necessarily reflect how hard the contests have been,” reflects Paul, adding that his charges “weathered storms” in each of the games. They had a notably tricky encounter with Killygarry in round 2, and Lacken who scored “nine points on the trot” against them. Each time the Crosserlough ladies faced adversity, they responded ferociously.
Their fitness levels has undoubtedly been a factor in them seeing out games comfortably.
Despite their paths to the final showing Paul is bracing himself for a cagier affair.
Mullahoran, at any grade going into a final are never to be underestimated, I’m around the block long enough to know that and we’re not going to take them lightly by any means.
“The way our games are played - they are a bit more direct up the middle and we try to spread it out a little bit wider, so that’s where we differ. We’ll go out and play our game and see where it takes us, but I think if we can keep the Sheridans and Reillys quiet we’ll have a good day’s work done and put us in the right frame of mind for the end of the game.”
Speaking of the right frame of mind, Finbar’s insists: “We’ll be going there to win that match and we have nothing else in our thoughts.”