Longford Slashers captain Aisling Cosgrove reflects on the unbelievable winning feeling

Aisling: “It’s an unbelievable feeling, and I actually don’t think that anything else will ever live up to this feeling. I can’t even describe it, it’s just one of the best things ever, and to do it with this group of ladies is just incredible. 

“It’s really special to do it with a club with players that you have been playing with since I was twelve  years of age and I am twenty-seven now. We have all grown up together, we have all become best friends, we are like a family and to lift the trophy on behalf of them is just an amazing feeling.”

Tony: “Aisling, you have been the Slashers captain for eight years now, so that tells you what the players and the management think of you as a leader.”

Aisling: ‘Well, I never refused it when the captaincy was offered to me and I am extremely grateful for it. However, I just go on with my business and I just act as the link between the players and the management with that role. 

“There are lots of leaders on the team and I just happen to be the one that lifts the cup, but credit to the entire squad as we just stick by each other and we just give our best every time we go out.”

Tony: “The team is just so solid at the back, so in tune with each other, brilliant at link-up play, very fast and quick in transition, and very skilful all round, and those attributes posed lots of problems for Mullinahone throughout the game.”

Aisling: “Yes, our full-back and half-back lines are very solid, but they are also very attack minded.  Orla and Clare coming from the half-back-line, they just keep bombing forward, and no team could live with that and Mullinahone didn’t either. 

“They feed the forwards and also contribute to the scoreboard as well, Clare got a point and Orla scored 1-2, so it’s unbelievable having such an attacking defence.”

Tony: “Eight different scorers in the game today and you won by nine points registering 4-11 into the bargain. The game was effectively over with twenty minutes to go, but you all had to remain grounded and not ease the intensity, to ensure that there would be no comeback from Mullinahone.”

Aisling: “It did not feel over until that final whistle went. Despite being six points up at half-time, we treated the second half as if the scores were level. 

“We kept the scoreboard ticking over and we shared the scores around the team. We controlled the ball in the back-line and even when they scored two goals, we did not panic, and we just kept playing our normal game.”

Tony: “Not only did you score the first goal, but you were involved in the other three goals and some of the points that were scored as well, and there were often four or five players involved in setting up a score.”

Aisling: “To be fair, we are very good at giving the ball to the player in the best position, especially when you have Orla Nevin and Grace Shannon running off your shoulder. 

“It was a thrill to score the first goal, but I prefer linking-up the play and creating chances for other players. We have such great communication between each other and we just seem to instinctively know where everyone is going to be, and we trust each other to look for the player in the best position.”