“Three in a row’ not on our radar” – McGrath on All-Ireland Final
DUBLIN’S Siobhan McGrath insists the Jackies are not thinking about the prospect of a third straight All-Ireland Senior Football Championship title as they gear up to face Galway in Sunday’s final in Croke Park.
The Thomas Davis club player has stressed the importance of just focusing on their preparation for this weekend’s match and the challenge the Tribeswomen will present them at GAA headquarters.
Thomas Davis and Dublin star Siobhan McGrath insists the Blues are preoccupied with the challenge of Galway and are not thinking about the prospect of making it three straight All-Ireland title wins.
“As a team, we just take it game on game, focusing on our next fixture” McGrath told The Echo. “We’re just looking ahead to the final and a ‘three-in in a row’ is not on our radar. We can’t be focusing on that.
“We’re just preparing for this game and focusing on ourselves because that’s all we can do” she said.
Dublin secured their berth in the 2019 decider after beating the very team they met in last year’s title match, Cork.
Both the Rebels and Dublin have accounted for the past 14 All-Ireland championships, with the former winning the vast majority of those.
Indeed Dublin are targeting their fourth Brendan Martin Cup, having raised it back in 2010 and in the last two seasons.
Goals from Sinéad Aherne and Caoimhe O’Connor proved the difference between them and Cork in their All-Ireland semi final clash this season as Mick Bohan’s side prevailed 2-11 to 0-11.
But while Dublin may well have despatched their arch rivals and the most successful champ-ionship team in recent years, McGrath was quick to dispel any notion that the heavy lifting has been done in this season’s campaign.
The Tallaght woman is only too aware of the danger Galway will present them this Sunday.
“Against Cork, they’re always great games, but we’ve played Galway more in the last year, year and a half between league and challenge games.
“They’re always very tight games against Galway and we know exactly the threat that they pose.
“They’re very quick and they work very well as a unit both in attack and defence. While they can get players forward very quickly, they can also get them back.
“It’s a style that’s very similar to our own and hopefully it will be a great game on the day” she said
Delighted to be part of another All-Ireland campaign for her county, McGrath said “It’s amazing to be part of this squad. We’ve all become friends, both management and players.
“There’re great cohesion in this squad and we’re all taken care of. We don’t have to ask for anything.”
McGrath, the Player of the Match in Dublin’s semi final victory over Cork, could well play a pivotal role for the champions on Sunday as could her Thomas Davis clubmates Olwen Carey and Ciara McGuigan and goalkeeper Ciara Trant from Newcastle.
