‘It’s just massive’: Delight at Limerick Ladies Junior Footballers All-Ireland win

THE manager of Limerick’s ladies junior football side has heaped praise on the local fans who travelled to Croke Park to witness his side’s great All-Ireland victory on Sunday.

John Ryan was speaking after the side became the county’s second GAA side to be crowned All-Ireland champions, following a 5-6 to 0-8 win over favourites Louth on Sunday last.

John said: “It’s just massive. The girls have worked so hard in the last couple of weeks. It just shows you that football is there, alive in the county.”

John, who lives in Cratloe, who was part of the management of the men’s football panel in 2004/2005, praised the support of the hurling panel, most notably manager John Kiely, who was in Ballylanders for captain Cathy Mee's homecoming on Monday night. On Sunday night they celebrated in style in the Woodlands, Adare

“We are so proud of the players, that’s the bottom line. They’ve been fantastic the last few days,” he added.

The women’s team were first out in Croke Park at 11.45am on Sunday, winning the first of three finals which attracted record crowds of over 50,000 spectators.

John paid tribute to the Shannonside support.

“No matter what sport we have in the city and county, people support us. It’s nearly like a 16th person on the field,” the manager said.

Former Mungret footballer Mary O’Mahony, who works in the Munster Council office, was one of those Limerick fans in Croke Park last Sunday.

She said: “There was a great Limerick crowd. I think a lot of the clubs brought under-age teams. There was a great buzz – reminiscent of August 19 again.”

“​They had lost to Louth twice already in the league this year so to get any bit of a win over them was great for the girls. The county is thriving on winning at the moment,” she added. Mary said it means so much to the women’s team to win an All-Ireland. “They put in just as much as the men do, and it’s great for them to get the success they deserve – they deserve all the credit they get,” she added.“It’s good for even young girls to see women progressing on the sports field. It shows there is massive demand for the GAA. It will hopefully encourage younger girls to get involved in Gaelic football.”

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