Lucan Sarsfields' Minor LGFA side, who will face Clontarf in Saturday's Division 1 final after an outstanding season
Lucan minors target league and c’ship double
LUCAN Sarsfield’s face off against Clontarf this coming weekend in the Minor LGFA Division 1 final with the game set to be held in St Anne’s this Saturday afternoon.
The side reached the final after a solid 4-12 to 3-08 victory against Templeogue at the semi final stage.
The two sides had met in the league final with Lucan emerging victorious back in May.
Lucan Sarsfields have had an extremely successful year so far playing 14 matches across all competitions since February and winning 13 of them with just one draw interspersed.
The side were promoted to the Division 1 Championship following a seven for seven winning league campaign that saw them promoted alongside fellow Championship semi finalists Templeogue Synge Street.
Coach Oliver Ryan spoke about the success that the team has seen and their aims and ambitions at the start of the year.
“Last year’s minor team was quite strong winning the Division 1 League and the Division 1 Shield.
‘At the start of the year when we assembled the squad, 16 out of our 24 had played Division 4 or 5 the year before with eight girls or so left over from Division 1.
‘With that in mind we had watched the u16s play towards the end of the year.
‘They were in Division 4 and there was a lot of potential.
‘We said let’s go Division 2 and see how we go. Our job as coaches is to develop players and maximise potential.
‘We got our first win against Castleknock. We had a good performance and scored a few goals that day and while the girls were shocked by the step up they really embraced it.”
“We gathered momentum as the games got tougher and more confidence. We just started instilling belief in them. F
‘irst we were telling them they were the best team in the league and to go win the league.
‘That continued into the early championship and we’ve just continued with it.
‘I’d be lying if at the start of the year in January did I think we would be in a Division 1 final.
‘I thought we’d be very competitive as we have a lot of strong players. It’s just been one of those things, the year has been fantastic.
‘They have gathered some momentum and belief and are playing with a bit of a swagger now.”
Ryan also touched on how the upcoming final can impact the younger generations still coming through the youth ranks of the club.
“It’s good for ladies football in the club that the minor team are getting into a Division 1 final, it’s good that girls are playing with the first team and hopefully this can be the catalyst for girls who are in u16 and u14 now who will hopefully come to our final and look to these girls for inspiration.
‘Hopefully this will be the thing that inspires others to go on the journey, the same as our girls have.”
It is an extremely busy week of action for the club with the Division 7 team also participating in a final on the same day as they take on St Finian’s Newcastle at 12th Lock.
Sarsfields reached the final following a nail biting affair against Castleknock which saw them just manage to get over the line with a 2-11 to 2-10 victory.
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