Scally: Éire Óg ready to shine under Friday Night Lights

EIMEAR Scally is hoping that Éire Óg will sparkle under the Friday night lights at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Scally and Co are bidding for senior football honours when they meet Mourneabbey in the 2021 county final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Friday (7.45pm throw-in).

‘Look, it’s super the final is on there. It’s not so long ago that we (ladies football) first got in to Páirc Uí Chaoimh with Cork,’ Scally says.

‘To think now that we are getting the club games in there as well makes the decision all the more special. We are over the moon to get in there for a senior county final with Éire Óg. We are keeping ourselves grounded and working away hard in training but everyone is excited to have an occasion like this to look forward to at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.’

An evening throw-in should add to the occasion and, hopefully, attract a sizeable attendance. Scally knows the Páirc Uí Chaoimh stadium and its environs well but how important it is that her team-mates, who have not previously featured there, do not become overawed by the occasion?

‘Sure, it is Friday night lights, how bad, we will take it!’ Scally laughs.

‘I’m sure everyone is happy with it being a Friday night game. Sometimes, when you have a final on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, you can be waiting for the whole day to pass by before you get into it.’

The two form teams in this year’s Cork LGFA senior championship have reached the county decider. Pre-championship Mourneabbey were the big favourites, but Éire Óg would not have been far behind even though it is their first-ever senior county final appearance.

‘This is a huge occasion for Mourneabbey, too, and we are both in the same position of playing a club county final in the stadium for the first time,’ Cork forward Scally says.

‘As for Éire Óg, we played relatively well during the league without making the semi-finals. All in all, it was still a good campaign for us. We got to practice a few different styles whilst playing those league games which was important. Our management team has been great. They keep things simple and we are following through.’

Mourneabbey are still smarting from relinquishing their county senior championship title to West Cork last year so how do you prepare for one of the strongest club teams in the country?

‘Everyone knows how good a team Mourneabbey is,’ Scally says.

‘I know West Cork beat them in last year’s final but everyone knew that Mourneabbey would be the team to beat in this year’s county. As regards homework, Éire Óg will do what we always do with regards playing any team in the championship. It is very important that we focus on ourselves first and don’t get too fixated on what the other team is going to do. I’m sure the 20 girls we will use on the day will do their best. It is important we focus on ourselves and get our gameplan right.’