IT’S ALL-IRELAND final week in the Sarsfields area of Galway for the fourth season-in-a-row, but there’s no major fuss surrounding the team ahead of their trip to Croke Park.
Their pre-match routine remains the same, with no formal events preceding the final against Loughgiel Shamrocks from Antrim. There are no media nights at the club grounds, and no big meet and greet occasions to allow fans get a glimpse of their local heroes.
Nothing like that is required in a rural club like Sarsfields. All of its members are around each other most of the time.
“It’s the kind of community where you see them all the time around the place anyway,” explains Sarsfields star Niamh McGrath. “They’d be down at the pitch when we’re down at the pitch. The kids all go to the matches anyway.”
McGrath works as a solicitor in Dublin and has been living there for the last six years, along with her sister and teammate, Clodagh. Typically, she commutes up and down twice a week for training and matches but will work from home this week and keep her mind on the job for most of it. From about today on, she’ll start pondering the challenge of Loughgiel and what tomorrow’s final will bring.
“We don’t change any of our routines and don’t think about it really,” McGrath adds, “that’s one positive of being in them [All-Ireland finals] a few times.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way because otherwise, you get caught up in it. It’s only a match at the end of the day and there’s bigger things going on.”
Of their last three visits to Croke Park, Sarsfields have travelled back over the Shannon as victors twice and are aiming for back-to-back successes this weekend. But they have experienced low times in Croke Park too. They lost two finals in-a-row in 2017 and 2018, while Oulart-The-Ballagh of Wexford interrupted a possible Sarsfields three-in-a-row in 2021.
However, assuming that anything less than an All-Ireland final appearance would be considered a failure in Sarsfields would be a misread of their ambitions. The Galway title is their first target every year, but if they do manage to get out of their county, they know they’re capable of conquering the whole thing.
“There’s so many teams in Galway who are chomping at the bit to dethrone us and we’re under no illusions to that,” says McGrath.
“We don’t think about any All-Irelands. We lost three All-Ireland finals and it’s so painful when you lose.”
Sarsfields have been rocked by injuries this year, most of which have proven to be temporary issues. Their biggest losses are Galway duo Orlaith McGrath who suffered a cruciate injury during the summer, while Sarah Spellman who missed their All-Ireland semi-final win over St Vincent’s of Dublin through injury last weekend.
The defending champions came through with a narrow win, and will now face a Loughgiel side who they have met in challenge matches in the past.
“They gave us some rude awakenings and ran us off the field,” says McGrath of those previous meetings. “They’re a super team, they’re so fast and pacey.”
Along with maintaining a normal routine with her squad, McGrath has her own pre-match rituals to follow as well. The family always pay a visit to Granny McGrath the night before games to get her well wishes and supportive lighting of candles.
“She lives right next to us. I always visit her anyway, it’s not just for the match. She prays so much for us to win and lights candles. She can’t watch the matches because it’s not good for her heart. She relies on my aunties and uncles to tell her how we got on.
“She prays for every single member of the team and [would] be asking if they’re all ok. It just gives you that extra comfort. It’s nice to see her before matches.
Niamh McGrath was speaking ahead of the AIB Camogie All-Ireland Senior Club Championship Final, which takes place this Saturday, 17 December at 6.30pm at Croke Park. The AIB Camogie All-Ireland Club Championships features some of #TheToughest players from communities all across Ireland.
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
