Steelstown Ladies face Connacht champions Ballinamore for All Ireland final spot

Never a team renowned for doing things the easy way, Steelstown Brian Ogs Ladies manager Thomas Cusack admits if the Ballyarnett club are to make a second All Ireland final in less than two years then they'll have to do it the hard way!

In February 2022, the club's men side created history with a famous victory over Trim in Croke Park and now, the Brian Ogs Ladies are just 60 minutes away from a place in their own All Ireland Intermediate decider. Standing in their way though is the considerable challenge of Leitrim and Connacht champions, Ballinamore Sean O'Heslin's, who will have home advantage for Saturday's semi-final in Páirc Sheán Ui Heislin.

It's a tall order for the Brian Ogs but having won their first Ulster Intermediate title two weeks ago in dramatic fashion against Antrim's Glenavy, Cusack says his team are raring to go.

"We have no injuries, everybody is ready and has been training away,” he explained, "We're just looking forward to it at this point.

"We had a good weekend after the Ulster Final but we were back out on the pitch on the Monday night and every one of them is back focused again. They enjoyed the Ulster win; it was a relief as much as anything else after that last couple of years, and the celebrations were great.

"But now we're going now to see how far we can go. We'll go out and give it a go. I said to the girls they're one game away from an All Ireland final and it's something to enjoy but, no, they're right back down to earth and working hard as they always do."

Saturday's semi-final will have a degree of the unknown for both clubs although Cusack was in Markievicz Park to watch the Leitrim champions capture the Connacht title when they defeated Sligo's Eoghan Rua by 1-10 to 1-09 three weeks ago. The Connacht girls are managed by former Leitrim county manager Brian Breen and, like Steelstown, have a nice blend of youth in experience with Megan McGovern the driving force from midfield while Roisin McHugh is an accurate free taker.

Missing from the Connacht final though were star player Laura O'Dowd and Emma McGovern and it remains to be seen if either, or both will return for the semi-final.

"I've seen a bit of them," added Cusack, "They've a few players who play with Leitrim and that but you know any team you meet at this stage is going to be a good side, so it'll be important to get the match ups right.

"I watched them in the Connacht final against the Sligo champions and they're good side. They're very strong up the spine of the team so for us it will be about who we are going to put where and what format we use.

"There was one or two points in it at the break but after half-time Ballinamore were excellent. They dominated the second half but in the first half the Sligo team hit something like 12 wides, so it's difficult to tell much from one match, especially a final.

"They looked well balanced and have youth and experience throughout the team, like ourselves. They play quite a similar style of football too so it should be a good game."

For some Steelstown players like Emma Doherty, Saturday will be a second All Ireland semi-final in club colours after they made it to the last four of the Junior championship in 2015 when their run was ended by Munster champions, Bantry, by 0-10 to 0-06 down in Cork.

Cusack remembers it well but having already travelled to Omagh and Castlebayney en route to their Ulster crown, another 'away' day will hold no fears for the Steelstown manager nor his players.

"We know Ballinamore had a couple of players not involved in the Connacht final so you just wait until you see the team on the day. There's no point second guessing, we won't be focusing on them anyway. We focus on ourselves and what we are going to bring to the game

"The girls are flying in training and looking forward to getting the game going. We got Ulster, so now can we relax a bit? I would say we will. We'll just go and see where we end up. It would be fantastic to get an All Ireland final but at least Ulster is off our backs finally so we can just go out and enjoy it now."