NIAMH IS LOOKING TO FUTURE
NIAMH O’Sullivan insists that back to back All-Ireland champions Meath are still on the rise and can absorb the losses of key players in 2023.
Vikki Wall, Orlagh Lally and Emma Troy are heading to Australia — Wall and Lally to start AFLW careers while Troy is taking an extended break.
O’Sullivan, who scored 1-2 in Sunday’s All-Ireland Ladies final victory over Kerry, has seen it all in the green and gold, from the low moments to the highs of the last three years and three AllIreland triumphs at Croke Park.
She expresses confidence that the Royals can carry on winning despite the absence of that trio.
“Oh yeah, 100 per cent,” stated the veteran corner-forward.
“That’s why you have a panel of 38 girls. Look, we wish those girls all the best. But at this moment in time we’re focusing on the win, the celebrations and Meath.
“Whatever decisions people make is for the future, we won’t be talking about it any time soon.
“There were eight girls there on Sunday who weren’t named on the panel and they’re young girls — you have the likes of Ciara Smyth, Orlaith Mallon, Ciara Gilsenan, they drive us as much as the other girls at training.
Focus
“If this group sticks together, which I think it will, we’re a very close group. You could see it on the pitch afterwards.
“We meet up outside of football as well and yeah, look, there will be changes but we’re not going to focus on that just yet.”
O’Sullivan also starred in last year’s senior final win over Dublin.
In 2020, they made a massive breakthrough in getting over the final in the
Intermediate decider against Westmeath having lost the previous two.
And she paid tribute to the work done throughout the year by the team’s psychologist, Kelley Faye.
“We don’t panic,” stressed O’Sullivan.
“We knew teams were going to watch us inside out, watch individual players inside out, and as All-Ireland champions you have to be ready for that.
“We’re so blessed to have a management team like this but resilience is a massive part of this team. We stick to the game plan no matter what and we did that on Sunday.”