Annie to lead AGB side brimming with confidence
COME Saturday evening in Roundwood, Annie Conroy will lead out the AGB team for a massive battle in the county final against Tinahely and it’s a place where not many in the know in Wicklow ladies football might have expected the Arklow side to be.
But Annie Conroy and her colleagues have faced many battles and struggles this year and the sight of the Tinahely jersey will not unnerve them or unsettle them because there is a strong self belief in Paul Morris’ team that has grown and grown since the Castletown man took over.
“We know it’s going to be a tough game,” says Annie Conroy, “Tinahely are flying fit but we’re pretty confident and we haven’t played them at all this year and we’re really looking forward to it. I can’t wait. We’re not scared and we’re not cocky, we’re really looking forward to it. It’s great to get to a county final and we’re going to enjoy the day,” she added.
The 18-year-old Arklow student was a very easy choice for captain in the mind of Paul Morris when he took over earlier in the year. The Castletown man highlights Annie’s dedication and her huge effort at training and in games as key to his decision to hand her the job. It wasn’t something that Annie was expecting but it is something that she has embraced wholeheartedly because to not give it your all under the management of Morris is to risk being left out of the team.
“I wasn’t really expecting it but Ciara Forde is vice captain and we’re both 18 and I think there’s a good balance between us. It works. Paul is firm but fair. If you train, you play. He wouldn’t think twice about leaving you on the sideline and that kind of pushes you on to train and gets you motivated,” she said.
The start of the year and the league campaign were not exactly memorable periods for the AGB side. But when the training started to pick up and show results and when the hard work of Naomi Ryder started to bring former players back to the club it was then that the confidence started to grow and the belief started to creep into the AGB game.
“It took a while to get everyone back,” recalls Annie. “Naomi Ryder worked hard and the older players who had retired came back. When Paul came in the training got better and seeing the likes of Aine Byrne coming back gave everyone a lift. Their (the older players) presence on the field lifted everyone up,” she added.
AGB defeated Clara in the semi-final in Avondale (report elsewhere in the sports section) but it was the Pat’s game in the group stages that really turned the Arklow side’s season around.
“The Clara game was a good game, they really put it up to us. We pulled away and then they came back into it. But every time we go out we think back to that Pat’s game. We weren’t expected to win that. Pat’s were going to win the Senior championship we were told.
“But we were sick of losing to them. We were sick of losing to everyone.
“Nobody felt that day that we were going to lose and if we play bad since then we always think back to that game. We had been on and off up to them but when it came to the championship we wanted to prove to everyone that we were actually serious about this,” said Annie.
The AGB captain’s take on the venue for the county final is quite positive. The game will take place in the beautiful An Tochar GAA grounds and Annie feels that it will benefit the young AGB side as it will be free of the potentially daunting surrounds of Aughrim.
“It doesn’t bother us where it is but maybe for the younger players it’s better that it’s in Roundwood. Aughrim can be daunting when you’re not used to it so we won’t have that in Roundwood,” she said. And what would a win mean? “We’ve trained so hard for this. It would be a deadly feeling”. Which team-mate belongs in a girl band? The Byrne Twins ..there so glam and would be so funny on a stage Manager’s pet? I think it’s Sue Tyrell but I’ve been slagged by some for being it so we’ll say it’s between the both of us. Manager’s nightmare? Ciara Forde ..such a deadly player but makes it hard for him to justify putting her on the pitch but when he does it’s always worth it! Longest in the shower? Emma furlong but she takes even longer to do her eye brows for training #stunhun Most likely to lose the head in a GAA match? Better not answer this one , wouldn’t want to jinx anyone for Saturday! Who’d pick a man/woman over AGB? Orla Hayes.. In fact I think she has , I’ve barely seen her all season (she’s actually working hard herself to recover from a knee injury and will be back next season man or no man!) Whose bed would you not like to look under? Lynda Dempsey ..id say there’s some weird stuff under there Referee’s nightmare? Aine O Reilly .. She’s been given a couple of yellow cards this season Someone squares up to you for a fight, who do you want beside you? Jessica Hurley ..it’s happened before and she jumped straight in Any odd habits or routines among the players before or after a game?
Steph Martin sits off to one side with her earphones in eating her protein bars before a big game ! Wittiest in the dressing room? Jessie Mc (McElheron) Team-mate you most admire and why? Aine Byrne .. I think she’s one of the best footballers I know and she always works so hard! Funniest nickname? Aine Byrne is called “twinkle toes” I think it’s because of the way she runs
And Sarah Cunningham is just known as Sarah Kerry because she’s from there ... I genuinely thought her proper name was Sarah Kerry up until a few weeks ago . Who would you allow or not allow date your brothers/uncles? I would not allow any of them especially Emer Kelly or Sarah Garnett .. There way too young for any of my uncles.