It was far from ideal Christmas TV viewing.
University of Limerick’s Lauren Ryan sat down over the festive period to reflect on the team that lost to Down in the All-Ireland junior women’s football final.
It wasn’t easy. I needed a break and shed a few tears.
But there were also plenty of lessons for 2024.
“I watched it right after that. Then I had some time to think about it and I would watch it again in a few weeks,” she says. 42 Ahead of the Treaty Division 4 Lidl National League opener against Wicklow.
“What you want is not the last All-Ireland Christmas Day clock. It wasn’t that day, it was the end of Christmas, but you look back and think about what could have been, what should have been. I wonder if it hadn’t happened and what could have been. [happened]. You’re probably watching it thinking, “Why didn’t I give you that pass?” We conceded a goal midway through the second half and when we were on the pitch it felt like we were running out of time, but looking back we had plenty of time, so I looked at the countdown clock and panicked.
“When you’re not winning, Croke Park is the loneliest place in the world. I’ll always have that feeling, but I never want to feel that way again. But it’s a great experience to play here. We want to win, that’s what we’re aiming for this year.”
Everything starts again today. All-Ireland glory is in the ‘endgame’ but other silverware is also being targeted after near misses in the league and Munster B Championship.
Following the departure of Graham Shine, the bulk of the group will be reinstated, with former selectors Michael Quilligan and Sean Keeley in charge. Two-time All-Ireland winner Mairead Kavanagh is set to return following her pregnancy, but a number of talented minor players are making their break.
Ryan chases Down’s Leeds Duffy in last year’s All-Ireland junior final. Leah Scholes / INPHO
Leah Scholes / INPHO / INPHO
There are no inter-county players in this year’s setup, and most of them are focusing their efforts on soccer. There’s a good chance that Ryan himself was one of them, albeit in a different field.
She followed in the footsteps of her mother Janet and grew up playing hockey alongside Gaelic football. However, she gave up her own position two years ago as her contribution to Limerick and both sides grew.
“My mom would have played hockey from an early age,” she says. She said: “My brothers would have played in the GAA and she would have wanted her opinion, so she took me to hockey!”
“She took me to the hockey pitch when I was seven or eight and from then on I played all through school and university. All the schools in Limerick City had to play hockey. I was there.
“Actually, I stopped playing Gaelic football when I was probably around 15 or 16. I played hockey for Ireland for a year, so I couldn’t commit to playing both. It’s a very nice sport. So, it was very exciting and I loved it.
“It became too hard trying to play in both, so now I decided to swap again. When I left university, I went back to football, since there is no hockey team in my hometown. , I’m happy to go home and play with my friends from the club.
“I’ve just regained my love for football again. I’m definitely happy with my decision.”
Ryan completed a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry at University College Cork and is currently completing a Master’s degree in Speech Therapy at the University of Limerick, close to his hometown.
She is currently preparing for her final job, and has previously worked in pediatrics, and plans to work at a hospital or facility for the disabled somewhere in the country by the time she finishes her studies in May. is.
The Adare defender won three caps for Ireland Under-16s in 2016, but was focused on hockey at the time and never played university football.
of Gura She keeps a close eye on her former club, the Catholic Association, and the Irish women’s national team, which has captured everyone’s imagination since their impressive performance at the World Cup.
“I remember seeing it in a pub in Lahinch,” Ryan recalls. “The pub was full watching the film and people had no idea what was going on, but he loved it.
“If it were me, I would have played with Roisin Upton. She goes to Crescent and plays for Catholic Institute. She’s a big idol. She’s been to the Olympics and stuff, and she’s very It’s interesting. She’s a great athlete, so she’s definitely a great role model.”
Ryan, Grace Clifford, Saoirse Lally, Siofra O’Shea, Carla Rowe, Emma Duggan and Ciara Brown attended this week’s LGFA Lidl National Football League launch. Sam Burns / Sports File
Sam Burns / Sports File / Sports File
Ryan praises another famous Limerick figure, JP McManus. She works part-time at her manor in Adare and sees first-hand the impact the billionaire beneficiary has on the region, county and country as a whole.
Before Christmas, Mr McManus hit the headlines when news broke that he would be giving every GAA county board in Ireland €1 million, to be divided equally across all codes.
“What he does for the community and everything is incredible,” Ryan concluded.
“It was just a huge profile. Secretly, whenever we have a fundraising event, the McManus family gets behind our efforts. It’s great to have them nationally as well as in your hometown. It’s unbelievable. Last summer’s Pro-Am was really great. I think we raised about 40 million euros, all of which will go to local and national charities.
“I don’t think you can say anything bad about him. What he’s doing is just incredible. He’s putting his money where he wants and giving to good causes and grassroots…
“Some clubs will be able to use that money to do some great things that they wouldn’t have been able to do if they didn’t have access to the money. That’s huge.”