Corrigan looking to play the game and not the occasion

WHILE the unique sights and sounds of All-Ireland Finals Day are impossible to block out, Tyrone vice-captain Meabh Corrigan insists that the team’s focus must be on the opposition and not the occasion.

The talented Errigal Ciaran attacker is desperate to lay claim to the Mary Quinn Cup after the side’s loss to Leitrim in the 2024 Ladies Intermediate Championship showdown at Croke Park, and as she prepares for another tilt at glory this weekend, Meabh stated that the mindset among the Red Hand panel may require a bit of tweaking from what it was twelve months ago.

“ To be honest I don’t know if you can ever get used to Croke Park, the ground, the stands, and all the rest but after playing twice now in recent times you try and learn from those experiences.

“ We’re hoping to focus more this year on the team that we’re playing rather than the occasion. We’re very switched on to each player winning each battle in front of us and trying to get the better of our opponents rather than the surroundings that we’re going to be in.

“ Of course it is going to play a part but we maybe made too much of a deal of it last year. It is an All-Ireland Final and you have to give it the respect it deserves but you have to try and treat it as another game, as hard as that might seem.”

Casting her thoughts back to last year’s thrilling, albeit losing, clash with Leitrim, Corrigan stated that ultimately the result dictates everything, no matter the memories of gracing the hallowed turf of Croke Park.

“ It is a great occasion to be playing in Croke Park and get to finals and all the rest, but we learned twice the hard way last year that it doesn’t really matter too much getting there if you can’t finish it on the day.

“A lot of our panel has stayed the same with a few new recruits and all the rest, but a lot of girls still feel that hurt from last year, getting beaten in two national finals, so yeah, everyone’s aware of that backdrop definitely.”

Tyrone were strongly fancied to win the All-Ireland last season, only to suffer that shock loss, but the pre-match billing ahead of Sunday’s clash with Laois is a lot less clear cut, which ultimately might work in the favour of the Ulster side. Meabh for one is happy to load the favourite’s tag onto the shoulder of the opposition.

“ Last year there was lot of the media and the noise outside writing off Leitrim unfairly. I suppose people who maybe don’t follow ladies football that closely would have looked at Leitrim and looked at Tyrone, maybe the standings of the two Counties in GAA, and written them off.

“ I wouldn’t have said, personally, and from the team perspective, that was the case at all. This year round, I would probably say that not a lot of people have given us much of a chance at times. I suppose the final probably is 50-50.

“ I don’t think a Tyrone team has ever beaten Laois. I know we drew with them two years ago in the league but as far as I know that is it. They have a big reputation to uphold so the pressure is on them, in my opinion but it’ll be a good test. It has been a good Intermediate Championship all year and a lot of tight contests.”

Tyrone certainly have not been found wanting in terms of stamina or spirit in their run to the final, overcoming both Fermanagh and Westmeath in marathon encounters which both went to extra-time. Meabh hopes that prevailing in two epic knockout tussles will stand to the side should the final not be settled during the normal time duration.

“ If it goes that far at least we have that experience under our belts. It’s just making sure that you’re within touching distance with them the whole way through but yeah we’ve had such tight encounters the whole year. Extra time against Fermanagh and extra time against Westmeath.

“ Against Westmeath the forwards pulled us through in the last five minutes and then when it went to extra-time we knew we had it in the tank to last because of the previous game with Fermanagh.

“ We know we can go right to the very end and we can push ourselves a little bit further than any opposition that we play, so it’s just making sure that we can stay in touch.”

And Corrigan also feels that being embroiled in an arduous top flight campaign in Division One is also benefiting Tyrone in this Championship journey.

“ I was keen to maintain our Division One status purely because after the first two games we all noticed the extent of what we learned from those games compared to any other year.

“We didn’t get to achieve that this year but that’s where we want to be, in that top flight playing against those teams.

“You learn so much about yourself as a player coming up against top opponents.”