PERFECT YEAR FOR LAWLOR
IT CAPPED the perfect year, her decision to return to the intercounty fold and just before she jetted off Down Under, Emma Lawlor was overwhelmed leaving the Croke Park pitch.
The victory over Wexford also ended a barren spell for Laois on All-Ireland final day, dating back to 2001, when her own aunt was one of the mainstays for the O’Moore County.
Laois and Lawlor have been on a journey since then and it was almost like destiny had conjured up the perfect occasion to land the TG4 AllIreland Intermediate Championship in front of her whole family.
“My family are a big football family,” said Lawlor. “My auntie is Tracey Lawlor, she has four All Stars and was the person I looked up to the whole way.
Nanny
“My nanny and granddad would have brought me to all of her matches. She was amazing. I wanted to be just like her. She was really my inspiration.
“She was playing in the 2001 team and last Sunday was a big day for my family as my auntie was playing in the last All-Ireland and I was playing in this one. The whole family was there.
“My dad, Declan, trained me since I was five. He was over my club team and he is still. My family keep me going and they keep the hunger there.
“They really got me into it and as I said, I’m playing since I’m five so you have to really love it if you are playing it that long.”
The 21-year-old missed out on Laois’ run to the TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate Championship semi-final last year, along with their triumph in the Lidl National Football League Division 3 final.
When Covid-19 struck, she saw an opportunity to help out in the local nursing home and she upskilled as a healthcare assistant.
It was a huge effort and while Lawlor’s promising inter-county career had to take a back seat, she maintained her club football with St Paul’s and she was also able to play for DCU.
Lawlor had joined up with Droimnín Nursing Home in Stradbally.
“I wasn’t able to commit to football as much as I wanted to because I was working four or five 12-hour shifts a week. I was working a lot of nights then as well. And with how bad the pandemic was, I felt I couldn’t really leave it,” said Lawlor.
“I did all the courses for healthcare assistants and then I went and worked with them. I was aware of that particular nursing home and I knew they were struggling at the time of the pandemic.
“I also knew the director of nursing well there so I just said I would go in and get the courses done for the pandemic.
“It took two months to get the ball rolling.
“It was hard to step away from the panel last year, after playing with them since I was 16, but I think the year out made me hungrier for football.”
Laois manager Donie Brennan phoned Lawlor before the start of the season and she was eager to get back into action.
She had already tasted what it was like to play alongside class forwards like Meath’s Emma Duggan and Dublin ace Carla Rowe in college, and she wanted to take some of her new expertise into the Laois setup.
Better
“I was playing O’Connor Cup there and we got the semi-final before UCC beat us,” said Lawlor.
“It definitely made me a better player playing along with them. Even the setup was so professional. When you are in that group and backroom team it makes you a better player.”
Lawlor combined with a ruthless attack for Brennan’s side in 2022 and it yielded rewards right the way through before Laois went to Croke Park last week and defeated Wexford 1-13 to 1-11 in a thriller.
Lawlor heads to Sydney in November with her boyfriend Justin, a trip they have longed to take but only at the right time. And there is no time like the present.
“I said I would take a year or two break now and go and see what it’s like. I will definitely play with Laois again when I come back from Australia.”