The Countdown Begins

Castlebar Celtic will live out the dreams of every soccer player in the country on Sunday when they take to the field in the Aviva Stadium in the Women’s FAI Cup final. The game itself will also be broadcast live on RTÉ Two television at 12.20pm giving everyone who cannot make it to the Dublin 4 venue a chance to see the girls do their stuff on the big day. The Celtic girls and management team know they will be going into the big game as underdogs against Raheny United, having lost to the same opposition in the league a fortnight ago 9-2, but that is not something Celtic manager Adrian Carberry is putting much stock into ahead of the game. “The result wasn’t a fair reflection on our team, we matched them for the first half and we were probably the better side in that half,” he said. He also lamented the fact that his side conceded two penalties in that half which was very out of character. “The final is a different scenario, it’s a different game and nerves will be a big part of the game for both sides,” he said. As for forgetting about the pressure of the day the former AthloneTown and Galway United player said, “It’s our intention to enjoy every moment of the game.” He will have to contend without Shaunagh Jackson, who has been ruled out of the game with injury but will be able to count of Katie Walsh who has returned to fitness, while Deirdre Doherty will also be available despite being located in the UK for studies at present. Celtic player Emma Hansberry is also discounting the seven goal beating by their opponents recently, and said, “The result was a blip and as far as we are concerned, we have every intention of pulling off a shock.” Hansberry, along with her team-mates Nicole Fowley and Rachel King, was in CelticPark last week to meet the press ahead of the final, and the trio were confident that they would be bringing home the cup to CelticPark on Sunday night. Fowley said, “We’re underdogs, but that’s fine with us, if we turn up and play the way we can then we’ll have a real chance.” While King said, “It was so disappointing to lose like that, it was hard to take, but we have the players who are good enough to win the cup.” Celtic has good reason to be confident with a number of players in their ranks, with international experience such as Hansberry, Sarah Rowe, Aileen Gilroy, Emma Mullin, Deirdre Doherty and Sarah McGeogh.