The Laois U16 team are preparing for their All-Ireland Semi-final as Leinster Champions.
Laois come into this game off the back of an undefeated campaign which led them to Leinster glory, with wins over Louth, Longford, Offaly, Carlow, and Dublin.
Management team of Shane Hennessy, Paraic Phelan, Stephen Lynch, Liam Brophy, Enda Coleman, Aisling Dowling, Caroline Fitzpatrick, Helena Dempsey and Anna Connolly have put in a tremendous effort with this group of girls. Manager Shane Hennessy gave us his insight into their preparation for this game on Thursday evening. Purchase tickets here – https://www.universe.com/events/airnav-ireland-u-16-all-ireland-b-semi-final-tipperary-v-laois-tickets-NRB17K
Firstly, Shane credited their success to the team’s dedication throughout the year. ‘We think the biggest reason has been the commitment of the girls. As part of selecting our squad for the season, we held four trial sessions during November and had over 120 girls hoping to earn a place on the panel. They were incredibly difficult decisions because there is so much talent across the county. At the same time, it was hugely encouraging because it showed the appetite young girls have to represent Laois.’
The team will have met collectively for 68 sessions on Thursday evening, crediting their players, Shane said: ‘That’s a huge commitment from 35 girls and their families, especially when they’ve also been balancing school and club football. 19 of the girls also just completed the Junior Cert, so it has taken a huge amount of commitment from them and their families to get us to this point.’
Shane spoke of the process of getting to this point, and the benefits of a player development pathway within the county: ‘As a management group, we’ve also been lucky to work with many of these girls over several years. We first got to know a lot of them as PDP coaches with the u13s in 2023. Many of that group went on to win a Leinster u14 title in 2024 before last year’s u16 team narrowly lost by a point to the eventual Leinster champions in the semi-final. This year’s group have now gone one step further by winning the Leinster u16 B Championship and reaching an All-Ireland semi-final. The girls have set very high standards for themselves. We’ve been lucky to help guide that throughout the season, but they’re the ones who have created the culture within the group. They challenge each other every night at training, enjoy working hard and genuinely want each other to improve. We’d also like to acknowledge the work being done by clubs across Laois. The girls came into our set-up with excellent skills and habits and that’s a credit to the coaches and volunteers working with them every week.’
Discussing their campaign to date, the girls can be pleased with their performances so far. Hennessy acknowledged their defensive work rate, and ‘an exciting brand of football’ which helps to create their scoring opportunities. The management team have also received high praise from opposition teams, crediting the squad’s decision making and football ability across the squad.
When asked about Thursday’s opposition, Hennessy said his team understand the task at hand. ‘Tipperary are an excellent team and you don’t reach an All-Ireland semi-final unless you’re doing plenty of things right. They move the ball quickly, have some outstanding individual players and are clearly a very well coached team with an excellent set up behind them. We’re expecting a competitive game.’
Speaking of their preparation ahead of this tie, the team have highlighted the extended break between provincial and national competitions, however, this hasn’t hampered their momentum. ‘The break since the Leinster Final has probably been one of the biggest challenges we’ve faced this year from a continuity point of view. After the final, we decided that we would try use the time positively and gave all the girls a few weeks off. It gave the squad an opportunity to recover after a busy championship, reconnect with their clubs, focus on preparations for the Junior Cert (for many) and then come back to us refreshed. Our aim over the last few weeks has been to get our training standards and practice game performances back to the level we had before the Dublin match.’
Adding new elements to their training has been vital in keeping girls motivated and focused on the task at hand. The team recently received a visit from 2001 All-Ireland winning captain, Angela Casey, who provided encouragement and inspiration for the girls. Hennessy also thanked the Laois executive, and particularly, chairwoman Martina Phelan for their support behind the scenes. Heywood and Portlaoise College have also been exceptional in provided facilities for the team since November.
Speaking about the message he’ll be giving his players ahead of Thursday’s clash, Hennessy said the message is simple: ‘ Enjoy it. We know that there aren’t too many opportunities to play in All-Ireland semi-finals and these are the occasions every young player dreams about. The girls have earned the right to be there through months of hard work.’
Acknowledging the coaching team, Shane spoke highly of those that surround the players and help to guide the team: ‘ We’re also very lucky with the people involved with the team. We have an outstanding management team where everyone brings something different. We constantly challenge each other to think of new ways to help the girls improve and we think the players benefit from that. It’s important to recognise our two Female Liaison Officers, Caroline Fitzpatrick and Aisling Dowling. They work tirelessly in the background and never look for recognition or credit for what they do. They have provided tremendous support to the girls, their families and the management team throughout the season. So much of what they do goes unseen, but it has been invaluable. The girls are very lucky to have two such caring and dedicated people involved with the group.’
Finally, the management team thanked parents for their commitment to this successful season. ‘The parents of this group also deserve huge thanks. Since the 12th of December, they’ve made countless journeys to training sessions, practice games and championship matches. County football is a huge commitment for families and none of this would have been possible without their support and encouragement.’
We look forward to supporting the team on Thursday 25th June in MW Hire Training Centre, Dunmore, Kilkenny. Laois ABÚ!
Management Team: Joint Managers – Shane Hennessy (The Heath) and Paraic Phelan (Portlaoise), Female Liaison Officers – Caroline Fitzpatrick (Park Ratheniska) and Aisling Dowling (St Pauls), Coaches and Selectors – Stephen Lynch (St Conleths), Helena Dempsey (Ballyfin), Enda Coleman (Portlaoise), Anna Connolly (The Heath) and Liam Brophy (St Josephs).
Photo L-R: Caroline Fitzpatrick, Stephen Lynch, Helena Dempsey, Liam Brophy, Enda Coleman, Shane Hennessy, Paraic Phelan, Anna Connolly, Aisling Dowling.
By Aoife Langford Tue 23rd Jun
