'It was all about heart, going for it'

Camogie

When the final whistle sounded on one of the greatest victories in the annals of Cavan camogie, there were scenes of sheer jubilation. Coming from Division 4, few if any outside of the county would have given the Breffni ladies much chance of being successful in this grade but the proof was there, gleaming in silver, as the players and management celebrated on the pitch.

“It really just hasn’t sunk in,” admitted Cavan joint-captain Aideen Coyle.

“There was a stage during that game where I thought it was gone and I thought Wexford were going to get back in and probably deservedly rob us but I thought Shanise stepped up to the plate again.

“Her second goal was unbelievable. But what a team performance, when you have players like Tina, Niamh and Aisling Collins and those girls coming in and making an impression, it’s unbelievable. I can’t believe we are unbeaten in six games from six and heading to Division 2.”

At the outset of the season, few would have tipped Cavan for outright glory, she said.

“Definitely not and even coming into this game, nobody gave us a chance. Wexford won the Division 2 final yesterday and there was a lot of talk that their Division 3 team would win and move up to Division 2 but everyone within the camp and our family and friends believed in us and backed us from day one and that was all the belief we needed to drive us on today.

“It’s a credit to the management, they have done an unbelievable job in instilling that belief that we are good enough. We could have very easily dropped our heads when Wexford came back and took the lead but we didn’t, we showed great character and it’s just unbelievable.

“Right up until the end, the character of the girls really shone through. Erinn Galligan, the Player of the Match, was just outstanding and she showed why she’s such a leader on this team. But we just had leaders everywhere. Shanise, Clodagh, Joey, Hannah, everyone was just such a leader there today. Even the younger girls who have just come up from minor, Hannah Fitzsimons, Aislinn Keenaghan, Aisling Collins, those girls have really driven us on this year and it’s just been such a team effort.

“This is just the beginning for Cavan camogie, we’ve a lot bigger plans. But I always say we’ll only take it one game at a time. We’re going to enjoy this because it’s such a massive achievement for ourselves but we’ve got Antrim in two weeks’ time in the Ulster semi-final so we’ll turn our attentions to them but we’re going to enjoy this first.”

Winning manager Philip ‘the Gunner’ Brady felt the victory was built on sheer courage and never-say-die attitude.

“With about 15 minutes to go in the second half I said the camogie was just gone, it was all about heart, going for it. In fairness they were absolutely brilliant. It was a great game.

“I didn’t see any panic in anyone, I know Wexford were coming back bit by bit but I think there’s a lot of belief within the squad that if we get up the field, we’ll get a score. We were probably a bit unlucky once or twice, some bad decisions, simple things like that and in tight games, I thought it was going to crucify us.

“But to work it up the field and get a phenomenal goal like that… it was a great way to win it.

“Goals win games. When you’re down a few girls during the year, Roisin [O’Keeffe] was injured, so we were short on natural inside forwards. But before I even took the job Shanise was the one I thought would be great inside, she has power, she has skill, can score and she’s good calmness in her for age. At 21 years of age, just unbelievable.

“She stayed patient even if the ball didn’t come in, she knew if she go a chance she’d bury it.”

Erinn Galligan and Rosie Crowe-McKeever really stood out, he felt.

“They were fantastic. You can’t beat experience. They worked very hard and every girl around then grows from that and takes courage from that. Everybody in the back-line was brilliant. No matter what happened – a goal disallowed, Wexford coming back and levelling the match – everyone would have expected Wexford to pop over the next point but this Cavan team is different.”

Having won Division 4 last year under different management, Brady felt confident Cavan could excel at the higher grade.

“Definitely, I wouldn’t have taken it if I didn’t feel there was more in them. I saw them last year and thought there was a lot more in them. I think they were brilliant in the way they went about it. They believed in the way we wanted to go and they bought into it from the word go.

“And I think once we did that, we built a panel and then it didn’t matter of two or three were missing, there was no panic. I think we’ve built a good panel there now.

“Our next game is Antrim in Ulster. We only beat them by two points in the league and if we win that we have Armagh who we only beat by two points and who are probably seething not to be here today because they felt we got lucky against them and they should be here after losing last year’s All-Ireland and Division 3 final.

“It’s good to have this match today, especially against Wexford who are Premier Junior champions. We knew the standard we had to get to and thankfully we got to it today.”