*Seamus Hayes with Sarah Loughnane. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
SARAH LOUGHNANE will have the task of hitting the frees when Clare’s Junior camogie side go in search of All-Ireland glory this weekend.
“This is what you dream of as a kid growing up. All you want to do is to play in Croke Park. At the start of this year we really sat down and said we have jobs to do. First it’s the league, then Munster and now its the All-Ireland championship. Next Sunday where would you rather be other than Croke Park”.
So said Clare forward Sarah Loughnane from Sixmilebridge when she spoke to The Clare Echo after completing another training session at Clareabbey last week.
Top scorer in the semi-final win over Antrim with 0-9 she accepts that “it’s the first time that 99% of our squad will play in Croke Park. Everyone is absolutely buzzing now ahead of the game”.
“We have come so close in recent years and when you come that close it really hits and that has been the case, especially last year when it goes to extra time and then extra extra time. At the start of this year we all believed in each other and we hope to finally get over that final step on Sunday”, she outlined.
Sarah is happy that there is a lot of experience in the squad. “A lot have played at various underage levels with club and county. You can see there is experience. There is a massive panel. It’s great and the young players coming onto the team make a difference. We have played at under 16 and minor”.
Having the junior panel train with the senior squad throughout the year “makes it easier, it drives everyone on,” she felt.
Sarah is delighted to represent her club Sixmilebridge in this panel. “There is great support in the ‘Bridge and the hurling and camogie clubs back each other. There are a lot of big families in Sixmilebridge so there are a lot of connections with both the hurling and camogie clubs”.
The talented forward expects a big challenge from Tipperary in Sunday’s final. “Tipperary always bring aggression and commitment, they are an excellent side and they would not be in the final otherwise but I believe we will match their commitment and we will bring more if needs be. In the Armagh game we were down four points and we drove on and we are determined not to let this one go by”, she said.
“A win on Sunday would put the icing on the cake, it would make all the effort that has gone in worthwhile. There is no point in getting this far if we are not going to push on and give it everything. It showed in the Armagh game that we were not just there to be in another semi-final, we were there to really really take over. Winning the final would be the dream come through”.
Sarah noted that support is important “any young boys or girl should really get behind this team”, she said before concluding by noting that she has tremendous support from her parents and her family.
