Manager Galligan rejoices in unforgettable Knockbride triumph

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Damien Donohoe

Standing in the media auditorium in Croke Park with a broad smile he couldn’t hide, Knockbride manager Ciarán Galligan struggled to fully absorb the scale of what his team had just achieved. The club that had spent the past decade building brick by brick were now All-Ireland Intermediate champions, the first Cavan ladies club ever to reach that summit.

“Well, it sounds pretty neat,” Galligan laughed when asked how it felt to be an All-Ireland winning manager.

“Winning Cavan was very special, but when the girls came back in for the first training session, they were jealous, they didn’t want it to be the end of the road. They really wanted to get things together again.”

The desire to represent their county beyond its borders fuelled Knockbride’s remarkable run.

“To represent Cavan outside of the county, in an Ulster campaign, that’s a privilege for the girls, and they knew it,” he said.

“They just started working again, and they took off from the fitness levels they had.”

A preliminary quarter-final in Ulster proved a blessing, allowing the squad to flush out their county final celebrations and refocus. From there, Knockbride never looked back.

“They weren’t overawed by the Ulster final or the All-Ireland semi-final at home,” Galligan noted. “And being out here today, they hit the ground running very early.”

A first-half penalty gave Knockbride a cushion, but the defensive performance behind it was nothing short of exceptional.

“It was always going to be a mammoth task for Caltra to get back in,” he said.

“Our defence have just been outstanding these last couple of months. I don’t want to start picking names because they were all outstanding, it’s a great privilege to work with them.”

The numbers underline the point.

“I think we’ve conceded one goal in Ulster, and it was a soft penalty if we’re honest,” he said. He also highlighted the composure of goalkeeper Katie Mulvey.

“She’s been absolutely excellent. Her kick-outs have been really solid.”

Galligan believes their defensive chemistry comes from familiarity and resilience.

“There are a couple of sisters in there. The communication is good. They don’t get overawed if something goes wrong, they bounce back.”

That stability allowed Knockbride’s attack to flourish, producing the 3-10 that secured the title. “We love to attack,” he smiled.

“If there’s attacking flair to be had, we’ll go after it.”

One player who epitomised that flair was 16-year-old Player of the Match, Gia McCabe.

“She just shrugs the shoulders, she doesn’t care about the occasion,” he said.

“The maturity of young players like Ellie (Reilly), Katie Mai (Reilly), Gia, Aoife (Rogers), Abby (Reilly)… it’s amazing. They actually bring calmness.”

Galligan says Knockbride’s age profile, with many having debuted at senior level in their teens, has set them up for sustained success.

“They’ve all matured into a really good structure and set-up,” he said. “If we played our wee part in that, fantastic.”

Reflecting on whether he ever imagined dreaming this big, Galligan was honest.

“No. We never thought outside of Cavan. Some of the toughest games were in Cavan.”

But when the final whistle sounded in Croke Park, he allowed himself a moment.

“It’s a very special day, for the girls, for the families, for any kids watching. Please God, they’ll be wonderful role models.”