Last Sunday, our Senior Ladies made the long trip to Kiltane for their Junior B Championship semi-final. 

Facing a very strong wind in the first half, the girls showed incredible resilience and determination, particularly in defence, to go in at half-time just 8-2 down. They showed the same character in the second half and, despite having the wind at their backs, just couldn’t find a way through a very strong Kiltane defence. The final score was Kiltane 1-10 – Kiltimagh 0-06. And so, our championship campaign comes to an end. 

The disappointment on the girls’ faces afterwards said everything. They were hurting — not only because of the result, but also because of some decisions on the day which left them understandably frustrated. But football can be cruel, and one result doesn’t define this team or the season they have had. 

Under the stewardship of John Hession, together with Pa McNicholas, Vanessa Ryan, Dee Carroll and Kenny Conway, this group has grown enormously. There has been a huge amount of work put in throughout the year and, for several years now, and the development of the players has been clear for all to see. For many of these girls, there are still many years of football ahead. Yesterday will be tough to take, but it will also be part of their learning and development. 

And one of the real positives from this year has been seeing our Minor and U16 girls become such an important part of the Senior set-up. They have grown not only as footballers, but as young women, and have been welcomed so warmly into the Senior squad. The bond between the younger girls and the Senior players was there for all to see last night at the post-match get-together. That’s what a club is about. 

A huge thank you also to John Tierney and Karen Jennings, who took the reins with our Minor girls this year, supported by members of our Senior Ladies management team. The one-club approach to ladies football in Kiltimagh is something we should be incredibly proud of. 

On behalf of the club, a massive thank you to John Hession, Pa McNicholas, Vanessa Ryan, Dee Carroll and Kenny Conway. The hours that people see are only a fraction of what goes in behind the scenes — coaching, physio, tactics, preparation, travelling, organising and all the conversations that take place away from the pitch. Thank you for everything you’ve put into this team and these players, not just this year but over the years. 

To the girls — yesterday hurts, and that’s completely understandable. But hold your heads high. You’ve represented Kiltimagh with pride, you’ve grown together and you’ve given everything. Take the positives. Learn from the experience. Enjoy the journey. 

We’ll be back. 2027. 

Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir.