“She has just been breathtaking”
Pat Sullivan manager of Waterford during the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football Senior Championship quarter-final match between Cork and Waterford at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork. Photos: Matt Browne/Sportsfile.
Waterford boss Pat Sullivan believes that Emma Murray is in the running for an All Star after another outstanding display in Saturday’s defeat to Cork.
“That’s one of the disappointing pieces about not qualifying for the semi-final. You qualify and Emma would have been nailed on for an All Star, never mind get nominated. Today, she was unbelievable. She is unmarkable at the moment. This year in particular, she has just been breathtaking. If she doesn’t get nominated for an All Star, I just don’t know who is actually selecting it.”
After completing the third year of his second stint as manager, the Dungarvan clubman will mull over his future in the next few weeks. “I came here today looking forward to two weeks’ time and an All-Ireland semi-final. Over the coming weeks, I'll have a chat with the players, my own management team and my own family as well because it is a massive commitment. We’ll see where it takes us.”
Sullivan was proud of his charges on Saturday. “Disappointed with the score but I wouldn't be disappointed with the performance. They died in their boots. We said going up here that whatever happens, we’ll go to war and give it hundred per cent and we did. Coming into half time, we were in a great place, a point down. We probably missed another goal chance that we should have taken. We could have went in ahead even. Everything we set as targets, we ticked every single box.” Waterford travelled to Leeside minus five regulars. “They were a massive loss, no point saying anything else. Look, we were very happy with what we had. I asked every one of those players to die in their boots and they did. Very, very proud of them.”
Mairéad O’Brien came into the match with a knee problem and didn’t feature. “We had a look at her before the game. We felt that she wasn't able to move in an appropriate way. To me, it’s not about the game, it’s about player welfare. I wouldn’t risk her. Mairéad wanted to play and I said no. She didn’t pass the test and didn’t tick enough boxes to play.”
No All-Ireland semi-final appearance but the Déise do have Division 1 league football and senior championship football to look forward to in 2025. “To stay up in Division 1 and have Cork and Galway go down was a massive step for us. Division 2 is an absolute minefield. Teams go back down and struggle to come out of there. We’re delighted with Division 1 status and to be back in an All-Ireland quarter final. The bigger picture here is last year we played in a relegation game and I have eleven of that panel not available plus six of the team. Credit to the players with what they have achieved this year. It’s been a good year for them.”
