WINNING the NFL 4 title may be something the players will cherish for quite some time but now they are back in action and are determined to build on what has already been achieved.
Carlow captain, Ruth Bermingham, says the time has come where they have to park that victory. First of all comes a Leinster championship, a stand-alone competition and after that the All-Ireland junior football championship.
Longford, Louth and Kilkenny will provide the opposition in Leinster while London, Sligo, Fermanagh and Carlow make up Group A in the All-Ireland series. Kilkenny, Louth, Limerick and Longford form Group B with two top teams qualifying for the national semi-finals.
First things first for Carlow as they prepare to take on Louth on Sunday.
Ruth Birmingham of Carlow and Áine Breen of Louth and at the launch of the TG4 Leinster LGFA Championships at Durrow Castle in Laois. Photo: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
“It is brilliant what we have done and never done before. It was a very proud day. We are starting over now,” says Carlow captain, Ruth Bermingham.
Carlow beat Kilkenny in the two county Leinster championship last year. The win was satisfying but did run a little hollow. Not this time as Bermingham points out.
“This is a new competition compared to last year. There was only ourselves and Kilkenny in the Leinster junior. There is something more to play for now and we are all looking forward to it,” he says.
After a number of years where players picked up injuries which kept them out for long spells, none of these issues are manifesting itself at the moment.
“The team is all good, healthy and will be fit for Sunday thankfully,” says the upbeat Bennykerry-Tinryland leader.
Leinster Junior Football Championship
Carlow v Louth
SETU Campus, Sunday, 2pm
Ruth Birmingham of Carlow and Áine Breen of Louth and at the launch of the TG4 Leinster LGFA Championships at Durrow Castle in Laois. Photo: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
