Francie Martin was encouraged by how Glenfin rose to the challenge to win Monday’s Comortas Peile na Gaeltachta final in the absence of their leading lights.
Karen Guthrie, Yvonne McMonagle, Katy Herron and Anna Marie McGlynn all had watching briefs with the Donegal senior ladies set to face Monaghan in Saturday’s Ulster Senior Ladies semi-final.
But Glenfin made light of their absences with an emphatic 7-10 to 3-9 win in Downings.
“We stepped up to the plate on the day,” Martin said.
“The young girls are coming up to training every night and that is coming through. We have 24 or 25 at training every night.
“We took in girls who could do as good a job and that’s a great thing to have in a club.”
Grainne Houston, Colleen McGrath (2), Gemma Glackin, Lauren Martin, Laura McKenna and Karen Ward hit the goals for the An Gaeltacht Lár side.
Martin admits it wasn’t easy having to line out without such stellar names, but he had no qualms.
He said: “Maxi (Curran) is as fair as he can be. He released Sinead McGinty for us. He has a job to do as well and we get on well. It’s not easy to have four top-class girls like that on the line, but it has given other girls a chance to prove themselves.”
Martin has long memories of the competition having featured in a Glenfin team that lost the junior final at Baile Bhúirne in Cork against Baile na Sceilg in 1979.
He said: “Back in 1979, we were in the men’s junior final in Cork and we lost by a point in extra time.
“This Championship is top class for me. We love playing in it every year. It’s a great competition to win. They’ll come back to training now with a spring in their step and everything should improve from there.”
Listen to the full interview below …
