Brennan aiming for better fortune on All-Ireland Day

Tipperary’s Ciara Brennan is hoping that this year’s All-Ireland Premier Junior Championship final goes a little bit better for her than last year.

By Joe Scully

Not only was she part of the team that lost to Clare, she also unfortunately sent off for two yellow cards, albeit the decision to send her off was very harsh to say the least and was widely condemned nationally. Reflecting on that experience, Brennan felt she was hard done by.

“In my opinion, it was a harsh sending off,” she said.

“You dream of going to Croke Park, and it’s not exactly how you want it to go obviously.

“I was very disappointed with myself but am just so grateful to have another chance this time to hopefully change that and with a bit of luck we get the win this time, that’s what is important and not what happens to me.”

Brennan, a native of the Knockshegowna parish but plays her camogie in Offaly with the St Cillian’s club based in Carrig & Riverstown, is really looking forward to appearing in a second All-Ireland final.

“It feels unbelievable there’s no words to describe the feeling,” admits the 24-year-old.

“Last year luckily, I was in it too, and obviously it was great to be there, it was a great occasion to play in Croke Park, such a great experience that every player wants to do.

“Last year we suffered a heart-breaking defeat so hopefully we can rectify that this year.”

Ciara feels part of the reason the team is in another All-Ireland final is down to new manager Bill Mullaney and the job he has done, especially with the major changes to the panel with Ciara and her namesake (Ryan) the only starters from the semi-final victory over Armagh from the starting fifteen in last year’s All-Ireland final defeat to Clare.

“Bill has been great,” added the hard-working half-forward.

“He’s really good at knowing the players, talking to everyone knowing what they need, and he really drives the thing on and everyone in the set-up has such huge respect for him and we wouldn’t be here without him.

“Coming in this year was a whole new set-up, completely fresh set of girls, fresh management, but it’s also nice at the same time coming in and having a change and obviously a few of the women were involved last year, so we know them already, but it’s been brilliant, there’s been a great atmosphere and were really looking forward to the final.”

Heading into the final, Ciara is slightly disappointed that her St Cillian’s teammates with Offaly will not be appearing in the Intermediate final having lost their semi-final to Cork.

“It’s brilliant in the club, like you have the support of everyone, although some are split for me and some are split for Offaly, and it would have been great to have seen Offaly qualify for the final, as it would have been great to see the girls up in Croke Park on the day, and I was really hoping they could have won their semi-final,” she said.

Ciara knows just how big a challenge Laois will pose her side in the final having played against them in her days with Offaly.

“Laois will be a tough test,” she added.

“Back in my Offaly days we played Laois in the Leinster senior championship, this is their first team, and they are going to be very strong any team in the junior championship that it’s their first team are going to be very good, so we know it’s going to be a very tough test ahead of us and hopefully it will go our way on the day.”