History beckons for Wanderers

WANDERERS GAA prepare for their upcoming LGFA Minor final this coming weekend as they are set to take on Foxrock Cabinteely with the game set to take place this Saturday at Frank Kelly Park.

This Minor team group are the first ever within the club after the juvenile section started just nine years ago with the eldest members of the side currently playing their second year at minor level.

The side had to combine their U16s and U18s teams at the start of the year in order to make up a playable squad.

Coach Emma Murphy touched on what went into making the team this year.

“We had a cohort of players go on to Ladies level last year so we were between a rock and a hard place in terms of what to do at the beginning of the year.

‘Our U16s and U18s combined which was brilliant.

‘We weren’t sure how it was going to go.

‘You’re looking for that confidence from the younger players’ parents that you will have continuity for them.

‘Bringing two age groups together was interesting and getting them to know each other socially was a big part of it for us.

‘You’ve got girls who are turning 18 in a year and girls who are turning 16, that was one of the biggest challenges but once we got going with the games we found our rhythm.

‘They are a brilliant bunch of girls and have really grown throughout the year.

‘If someone told me in January we would be in a Championship final I would have bitten their hand off.”

The side reached the championship final following a decisive victory over Thomas Davis at the semi final stage with a 7-13 to 1-05 victory.

Despite the scoreline suggesting otherwise the match was quite a competitive affair, particularly in the first half with Davis being extremely wasteful with their scoring opportunities and finding themselves down at half time.

In a game of fine margins, those missed chances can make all the difference and with the momentum now behind them Wanderers would go on to control the remainder of the contest and pick up the victory.

Murphy touched on the approach that the team elected to take towards the season.

“Very much a game by game approach, it was a massive unknown for us coaching, two of the coaches had been involved with minor coaching last year and three in the U16 set up.

‘Us getting to know each other and getting into a rhythm.

‘It was really unknown. We had no expectations of the girls and wanted them to enjoy their football, so that game by game approach was really important.

‘For me to get to know a lot of the girls who came up who I wouldn’t have known besides watching their matches.

‘To get to know them as people as well. There was an amalgamation in the group that was evident early on in the season.”

The club is experiencing constant growth in the women’s section though still faces challenges with the next team below this current crop of minors currently playing at U14s level.

Murphy commented on the future of the women’s section in the club.

“There is a gap between U14 and U18s level now, we have a compact number of girls that are playing football with us.

‘That growth is certainly coming through at younger age groups.

‘They have much bigger groups than I would have had with these girls who came in at U8s.

‘We’ve always had that two year gap, this year it’s a slightly bigger one but we are fielding two teams at ladies level next year for the first time ever.

‘That’s positive progress in the space for the club as well and is great to see.”