Sport is everything to Muireann Devaney, as the Athlone Town Midfielder and Glencar Manorhamilton sharpshooter, had to balance two different sports this year sometimes 24 hours apart.
Devaney has lined out for Athlone in both the league and cup this season, while back home in Leitrim has also been actively involved with Manor, having lifted the County Senior Ladies title this season and making a Connacht Club Semi Final, leaving a busy timetable for Devaney.
Speaking to FinalWhistle.ie after Athlone Town’s defeat to Shelbourne in the FAI Women’s Cup Final in Tallaght on Sunday, she was like her teammates disappointed by the result after the final whistle sounded, she believes thy were better for 70 minutes but that those 20 minutes that saw Shelbourne score twice gave the game away in the end.
“Yeah look I suppose ten minutes out of ninety just let us down ultimately throughout the whole game and you know I think two goals in the space of a few minutes just, I suppose gave Shelbourne the win at the end of the day.
I think we were the better team for 70 minutes but look that’s sport you have to be the better team for ninety minutes and you can’t slack off and look very disappointing tonight we’ve looked forward to this for the last few months and unfortunately, it’s came to a bad end, but that’s sport at the end of the day and we’ll just have to take our beating.”
While their season has ended on a sour note to lose the cup final, Athlone players can hold their heads high after an incredible season which saw them almost set up a league title play-off and reach a cup final, they proved the doubters wrong and showed what they are capable of this season, something Devaney says they always knew they were capable of things, but that many never believed they could.
“Yeah definitely I suppose look last year was a disaster and this year was unbelievable I suppose, that’s the joys of sport look I don’t think we need a confidence booster you know we gelled at the start of the year and we knew we were capable of things, other teams and the FAI and people like that probably didn’t think we were.
But I think we proved throughout the league and cup and here tonight you know that we are well able to compete with the big teams and the big clubs and you know that’s down to our own club Athlone and the management behind us, you know we will come back fighting next year but it’s a long nine months for it to come to an end like that and you know it would have been lovely to put the icing on the cake and get a result here in Tallaght but it just wasn’t to be.”
Devaney has had a terrific season for Athlone, becoming a mainstay in their midfield throughout both campaigns, she is nominated for the Young Player of the Season Award but while she is happy with how Athlone’s season has gone this year, they will aim to improve on that next season.
“I’ve been relatively happy probably a slow start and I grew into it throughout the season and we finished now and all in all I’m probably very happy with how the season has went, there’s always room for improvement but look we’ll look to do that now next year look where we can improve and hopefully we will do that.”
It has been a bust last number of months for Devaney as she has had to balance playing for Athlone and Manor, in many cases she lined out 24 hours after, defeating Wexford in the cup semi-final, less than 24 hours she scored 3-3 of Manor’s 3-6 as they defeated Kiltubrid in the Championship.
Having topped the scoring charts in the Leitrim ladies Senior Championship, she was also playing week in and week out for Athlone, as she puts it Sport is her life and she was grateful that many people from Manorhamilton attended the final in Tallaght and supported her.
“Sport is my life and it always has been, I’m used to balancing it and I suppose I really enjoy it and that’s the main thing, it can be tough at times but you play sport for nights like tonight here in Tallaght, I think I heard over 5000 people and you know I heart every single person from Manorhamilton that was there in that stadium tonight and I really appreciated all the support, you know it’s a long trip to Dublin but it was a very very enjoyable night so I’m very happy.”
Full Post Match Interview:
Diarmuid Kearney
Diarmuid Kearney is a freelance Sports Journalist based in Co Kerry. He has more than 5 years experience covering domestic and international soccer for different media organisations, while also working for local and national print and digital organisations covering GAA.