Garrycastle ladies prepare to face St Brigid's in first Leinster final

GARRYCASTLE ladies football team face their biggest and most prestigious ever game this Sunday when they travel to Geraldine Park, Athy, to take on St Brigid's of Dublin, in the final of the 2009 Leinster Intermediate Club Championship (throw-in: 1pm). The Westmeath champions - who have claimed notable scalps in the recent weeks against Crettyard (Laois) and Stabannon (Louth) - are looking for a first ever title at this level, and manager Ken Dolan feels his side are in great condition ahead of the game. "This is a huge game for Garrycastle, the biggest game the club has had in ladies' football," said Dolan. "The players are really ready for this and feeling really good about our chances. The girls have worked tremendously hard throughout the year and are very dedicated to the cause. They are really committed and have a great desire to do well. I have great faith in this Garrycastle team and we've scaled some difficult hurdles to date, so hopefully we can do it again on Sunday," he added. Ken is capably supported in the management team by his wife, Patricia, and Jackie Wykes. He said: "We have really built a new team this year and introduced a few new systems. It's all been going very well up to now and the players have reacted in positive fashion to everything we've tried to introduce. We have had many close games this year and I feel our system of play has often got us through those tight affairs." "St Brigid's are obviously a good side and any Dublin outfit will give you a difficult game. I know they've won several Leinster and All-Ireland's at underage level but Garrycastle has won All-Ireland Féile titles in the past too. We certainly hold no fear and will go to Athy with a fair degree of confidence and faith that we can do the job and bring the title back to Garrycastle. When you're dealing with a final it's really all about what happens on the day and a lot will be decided by who wants it more." Garrycastle are captained by Aoife McCormack (also a noted camogie player with Drumraney), and the team has currently have no major injury worries ahead of the big day. "There's always going to be a few little bumps and bruises but I think, touch-wood, we'll have everyone available for Sunday. We work off a panel of 27 players and they're a credit to work with, an absolute pleasure to train. Their ages range from 16 to 27 and they've done really well to get this far. I always believed they had the potential to reach this stage of the competition and now we want to finish the job and claim the title," said Ken. The Garrycastle manager is also hoping for good vocal support for his players in Athy. "The players certainly deserve plenty of encouragement and support from the sidelines. They've worked tremendously hard to reach this stage and are really committed. I hear there's several buses organised to travel to Athy so hopefully people get behind the players," said Dolan.