Historic return for the Clones Ladies

By Maitiú Monaghan

No one seems to know for certain when Clones last played a Senior Ladies Championship game- although the more experienced heads in the club reckon it was around 2008.

The uncertainty seems appropriate, because last Saturday nobody in St. Tiernach's Park had any interest in looking backwards.

Clones were beaten by Inniskeen in their JFC opener last weekend, although the result didn't dampen the historic mood in the town ground.

In 2019, the decision was made to kick-start ladies' football in the club. Underage sides began at the nursery, and worked their way up the ranks.

Prior to that, young girls played with the boys' teams at the youngest level, before moving to Killeevan or Eire Óg (Emmet Óg) when they got older than that.

One of those was Leigha Freeman- who played a key role in Killeevan's JFC winning side last year.

Back on home turf, the centre-back was at the heart of everything Clones did on Saturday evening.

“It’s kind of overwhelming,” she began. “Finally getting to play in Clones, in a Clones jersey, as a senior player. There’s been a lot of anticipation for this, and a lot of work put in behind it.

“It was something I never thought I’d get the chance to do, so it’s a wee bit emotional getting to do it.

“It’s very special, very special to play alongside family here. It’s very special to be in this jersey, on our home pitch, in front of our families and everyone that comes out to support us. So yeah, it’s a bit surreal.”

When the club made the decision to put in an adult team at the end of last season, they had been concerned about whether or not players would return from their adopted clubs.

However, with 37 players in the panel- the executive was “overwhelmed” by the player’s response.

Freeman is one of a number of who grasped the opportunity to play for Clones- including Jenny Freeman, and Maeve Gibson from Killeevan, and Marion McCarville, Anita Tighe, and Michaela Newell from Emmet Óg.

The work the club has done at underage level was also to the fore last weekend.

In her first ever Adult Championship game, Ella Kierans was arguably the player of the match, with minor footballers Emma Dunwoody and Sarah McCaughey also making their debut off the bench.

“You watch some of the girls that aren’t even 18 yet. They really push us on. They push us on in training and they push us on competitively in the games, and they’re always bringing that bit of freshness, that bit of fearlessness, I suppose, and it really pushes us older girls on that bit more,” Freeman explained. “Although we didn’t win today, I suppose we really showed that bit of fight, especially in the second half. Really tenacious playing, really, really good defending, really good driving forward off the ball,” she added. Kierans was a member of the first Clones underage team that rose through the ranks. “I suppose growing up, we had no older age groups. We were kind of just building up as we went. It was always our goal to get a senior team, but it’s good to get there. It’s good to get it now.

“And we have so many people to look up to, like Marion and Anita and Michaela, the ones winning senior last year, and then you’ve got Leigha and Jenny and all the other girls from Clones who won with [unclear] last year. So, it’s good to look up to them.

“The first couple of games, it was kind of just getting used to each other. Like, you’re playing with girls that you’ve never played with before, and then you’ve got girls that you’re playing with since you were eight, ten years of age.

“It took us a while, but we did just click and it gelled, and we’re starting to play as a team now.”

The team’s coaches, Ronan McDonald and Declan Flanagan were “proud” of the club and its achievement- but their disappointment at the loss was evident.

Coach McDonald said: “Honestly, I thought going into the game we could have actually won it. Again, we are kind of deflated a wee bit between myself, Decky and Packie. The girls had it in their locker.

“It wasn’t as if it was 70-30. It was a 50-50 game. We were knocking on their door; they were up at ours.

“But overall, delighted. I think the girls are all delighted. I’m delighted. I’m annoyed we didn’t win — I’m annoyed we didn’t win it — but I’m delighted that we got the opportunity.”

For Clones now, there is nothing but excitement and expectation. The elephant in the room has been addressed- and they can look forward to the future.