Power’s first-ever Waterford goal is a crucial one
Waterford players, from left, Katie Murray, Caragh McCarthy, Lauren McGregor and Aoife Murray celebrate after their side's victory over Donegal at Walsh Park. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Eve Power’s sixth minute blast was her first goal for the Waterford ladies at any level. “I’m not usually on that side of the field!” The St Pat’s midfielder reacted quickest when Lauren McGregor’s point effort dropped short. “I was in the right position at the right time. I said I might as well take the shot. I just went for it. I got a bit lucky; it came off the crossbar but it landed on the right side of the line.”
Manager Pat Sullivan was ecstatic to see Eve shoot that three pointer. “We focussed on getting that early chance and going for it. It was an absolute rocket. A super goal.” He saluted his charges for overcoming setbacks during the season. “We lost a lot of players with stature over the last year or two and then we got hit with injuries. The 25 players that we have dug so deep. This was a target we set ourselves the minute the draw came out. We played a really good team in Kerry and they showed how good they were. We met as a group last Sunday and we reviewed what happened. We knew we were better than that. We were off in a lot of areas. Today was a day that everything came together. We got on the front foot from the start.”
He also showered praise on minor forward Emma Fitzgerald. “She is some talent. She is a pleasure to train. Everything she does, she does it at a hundred per cent and her attitude is excellent. She is three or four years ahead of her time.” This was Kellyann Hogan’s last game in county colours for 2024 as she jets out to Chicago on Tuesday. The captain moved her flights to try and help her team into a quarter final. “I’ve put it off a good bit now! I was due to fly off after the Munster championship and had my arm twisted. I stayed and I changed my flights and I’m happy I did now!” Waterford’s top scorer went out on a high. “I would have struggled to swallow that if we lost but buzzing that we won. So proud of all the girls.” Hogan will play ball over in the States as her team mates prepare for a trip to Cork. “Sickened to miss it but if I don’t go now, I’ll never go!”
Pat Sullivan would like to see more ladies games staged in Walsh Park. “It was top class. We needed a big open field and a good surface and we had that. This should happen from now on. We need to playing in stadiums like this. These girls deserve it.” Hannah Power agrees with her manager. “It’s a fantastic venue and a great pitch. We hope to be here plenty more times in the future. With this win under our belt, we’ll be looking for it more often!”
The Waterford Ladies' footballers will take on Cork in the All-Ireland quarterfinals on the weekend of July 6/7 after their win over Donegal with the other quarterfinals also confirmed. Kerry will face Meath, Armagh take on Mayo with Dublin facing Galway.
