JOHN SAVAGE

THE Croke Park factor can sometimes be overstated, but Louth midfielder Rebecca Carr agrees that the experience of winning an All-Ireland at HQ in 2015 could prove crucial on Sunday.

The Geraldines star is one of a handful of survivors from a facile win over Scotland three years ago, and while she knows Limerick will provide a much stiffer challenge this weekend, she inists the ‘older’ heads will be able to provide plenty of advice and guidance to the young guns.

‘A few of us were there in 2015 so we know how it feels, but I think this year is going to be tougher,’ she warns. ‘The nerves will build from now on, but when you get there and get a few touches that fades away.

‘It’s a big pitch and the whole environment is daunting especially for the younger players, but it will help to have a few experienced girls there.

‘I remember in 2015 we had to run all the way across the pitch for a photo and I nearly collapsed just jogging over,’ she jokes. ‘But when you get out you don’t notice it, you have to build the play and create scoring chances the same as any other pitch.’

Louth went into that decider against Scotland as raging hot favourites, but despite beating Limerick twice already this term, Sunday’s clash looks 50/50, with Dympna O’Brien’s return a big boost for the Treaty ladies.

‘We played them twice this year and got wins over them, but they’ve got a few players back now and you just don’t know how it will go on the day.

‘Dympna O’Brien is back and I think she’ll be the main threat. Since she’s been back she’s made a big impact and we’ll have to close her down and try to mark her out of it.’

One candidate for that job is the vastly experienced Michelle McMahon, who appears to have recoverd from a big injury scare in the semi-final win over Derry.

‘Michelle will be fine we think. She went down badly in the Derry game, but thankfully it was nothing serious and she’s back training. She could well get the nod [to mark O’Brien], she’s a great one to make and hassle a girl and put them off so that could be her job on Sunday.’

While there’s no extra motivation required when you’re gunning for All-Ireland glory at the home of the GAA, Rebecca hopes that the memory of their former manager Micheal McKeown, who

sadly passed away during the season, will give Louth’s title-tilt an extra impetus.

And if he was around this week, Rebecca says nobody would be enjoying the build-up more than Micheal.

‘Micheal always did his homework on the opposition and he’d have a few different tactics to try out on the day. But most of all he’d have you focused on your own game and on doing the simple things right.

‘He had a big influence on us from the very start of the year and it was always his dream to get us to Corke Park. Thankfully we got there and hopefully we can go the whole way and win it for him.’

Micheal’s successor, Darren Bishop has slotted seamlessly into the role of head coach and Rebecca insists Micheal has left the ship in good hands.

‘Darren has been fantastic since he came in, he’s really settled us down and got us working very hard. He’s great at bringing the team together and getting us in the right mindset.

‘After the League final we knew what we wanted to do and that was to get to Croke Park. We just had to work hard and take each game as it comes, keep things simple and take our scores when the chances arrived. It’s a simple game and thankfully we pulled through. ‘We’re confident. There’ll be a few nerves on the day, that’s only natural, but I think we can do it. Training has been going really well so hopefully it comes together on

the day.’