Tesco HomeGrown NFL Div.2
Sunday 1 February 2015
Westmeath 7-10 Down 0-4
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Orla Boyle in action.[/caption]
Down Ladies made the long trek to Kinnegad to play Westmeath in their opening game of their Div. 2 campaign in 2015.
It was an unrecognisable Down squad from the one that won the Intermediate Championship in 2014, with the majority of that squad not making the step up to Senior football in 2015.
Those who have pulled the red and black on again have been commended by the new coaching team of Banbridge’s Sara Rankin and Saul Club man Conor O’Neill. Sara Rankin said the girls who have turned out here today deserve the full appreciation from the entire county. “These girls have stepped up and said I’m proud to wear a Down jersey and I want to represent my club on the national stage by playing for my county at Senior level in 2015. The result today was disappointing, but there was more to today’s game than just the score line and we are incredibly proud of the girl’s hard work and determination.”
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Down coach Sara Rankin.[/caption]
“It was the first match of the year and we lost to a team that were ahead of us in their preperations that’s all, so we learnt more from the game than Westmeath and it would be wrong to judge Down on one performance.
“Yes, we are slightly disappointed by the decision of some players not to play county football this year but any transition period brings its own set of challenges. Our plans aren’t only for the incoming year, the ambition is to secure the long term success of Down Ladies football at the top level. So changes have to be made and the mix of experience and youth shown today will drive that forward.
“This squad has an incredible work ethic in training, always encouraging each other and willing to learn. They are a great group of girls to work with”.
Down have a proud tradition of showing resilience in the face of adversity and the mass exodus of the 2014 panel was quickly followed by a new intake of young guns, keen to make their mark in the Senior ranks alongside some of the County’s most dedicated players such as Kyla Trainor, Orla Boyle Meghan Doherty and Jordan Magee to name but a few. When faced by heavy defeats such as today, it was to these girls the younger players turned and they weren’t found wanting.
Although the scoreline would suggest Westmeath coasted to victory, the substantial crowd in Kinnegad was treated to some excellent football by both sides. Westmeath were clinical in their finishing, while Down struggled but it wasn’t for the want of trying.
Down will have learnt a lot from today’s first competitive game since September 2014 and they will no doubt feel there is a lot more to come from this young new look Down team, and who would bet against them?
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