HANNAH AIMS TO PLAY PART IN GLORY DEISE

Wat erford ’s display at the Gaelic Grounds last Saturday showed they are worthy AllIreland contenders.

It’s a place where

John Mullane once coined the phrase “I love me county,” and that statement goes a long way to describing Waterford people and their love of all things sport.

Hannah Power plays Ladies football for Waterford, she took a few years out to finish her studies but she is back now, fulfilling her dream to lead her county to a TG4 AllIreland title one day.

And while she knows that it is a building process, the chance of the hurlers actually lifting a Liam MacCarthy Cup this year is a tantalising prospect.

“We love our county, it couldn’t have been said any better. John took the words out of everyone’s mouth and got the famous tagline. It’s really just a love for the county,” said Power.

“At the end of the day, it’s just putting on the Waterford jersey and being so proud of Waterford whether it is Ladies Football or the hurling. You just know the work that all of the lads are putting in as well is phenomenal. It’s a complete lifestyle change and sacrifice.

“Everyone in

Waterford follows the hurling. I think this year more than ever, I feel like every year we say this is the year, but sure it is mental and even the strength of their bench and everything this year.

“When there is no training on, or our own matches, you would definitely make the trip to see them. I would say there will be good support all this season as there usually is in the big games.”

The Waterford Ladies footballers are in a transitional phase and after a tough Lidl National Football League campaign, where they acquitted themselves well against Dublin, Meath and Cork and survived relegation, hope springs eternal in the summer months.

Campaign

Waterford will begin their Munster campaign against Cork and in her first year back in the panel, Power is excited about the opportunity to play in a TG4 Senior Championship again.

“It was definitely a challenging group in the League but when you are playing football you want to be playing the best,” said Power.

“We are not chasing, we are getting there and I think it certainly showed what’s entailed for the Munster Championship and then the All- Ireland Series as well.

“We are playing Cork on May 15 in Fraher Field in Dungarvan in our first round of the Munster Championship.”

Also in the Waterford panel this year is Eve Power, who is Hannah’s 17-year- old sister.

Hannah Power broke into the Waterford panel when she was just 16 and she will turn 23 next week, a lot of water has gone under the bridge since then.

“I would have played all along up underage from Under-14. I was actually part of the senior panel in 2016 when we won the Division Two

League, and then in 2017 the year I was doing my Leaving Cert I took a step back from it. I took a break before I came back then this year,” said Power.