Redemption on the minds of Knockananna
EARLIER this year, when the covid-19 pandemic was forcing a halt to sporting activity across the country, there were very real concerns that said sporting activity would not return.
Fortunately, owing to the Irish people’s admirable initial response to the virus, sport did eventually return at the end of June/early July.
This facilitated an added degree of gratitude and appreciation for the various disciplines in which athletes perform. Very few express this better than Shannagh Goetelen, captain of the Knockananna camogie team, who has revealed that morale has never been higher.
‘I have never actually had anything like it. ‘We are having the laugh but then, at the same time, we are knuckling down. I don’t know what’s changed, but maybe it is with Covid; we were deprived of it for a while. Now, we are extra motivated.
‘We are taking it as we are so lucky to be in this position, because a couple of months ago, we were all stuck at home and now we can all at least be together and experience it, which is amazing.’
This weekend, the season when Knockananna meet champions Donard-The Glen in the final of the senior camogie championship. It is a repeat of last year’s decider, when Donard-The Glen brought Knockananna’s dream of winning four consecutive titles to an end. Goetelen admitted that that final will be on their minds, and they will be yearning for redemption.
‘We are expecting a tough battle. You would expect nothing less from Donard, but we are definitely up for it. I suppose, of course it will be [on our minds], because the pain of losing by one point is like no other, but I think we will use it to make us stronger and say ‘look, we are not going to let it happen again’.