All-Ireland Junior Club Championship semi-final: Latton (Monaghan) v St Maur's (Dublin) (Sunday, St Maur’s, 1pm)
LATTON captain Lavina Connolly believes that going into a game with little knowledge about their opposition has served them well so far in 2016 as they get ready to face Dublin and Leinster champions St Maur's in the All-Ireland Junior Championship semi-final on Sunday.
The Monaghan champions make the relatively short trip to the north side of Dublin and hope that a large Latton contingent will make the journey down towards the capital as well to get behind them.
St Maur’s defeated Kildare side Suncroft 2-12 to 0-9 in the Leinster final, Olivia Leonard seemingly the star for the victors, instrumental as both playmaker and score-grabber.
“When we're this far in the competition what else is there to do now only go and try our absolute best to make an All-Ireland final and win it,” said the former Monaghan star.
“It was an unreal feeling to win [Ulster]. It's been a long nine years since we were last Ulster champions.
“We know nothing about them. But that's the way we like it. We've went in blind in all our games so far and just go out and play our own game.
“We've prepared as best we can and now we just can't wait for game time on Sunday. The whole parish has gotten behind us and hopefully we can do everybody proud with a win.”
Latton defeated neighbours Kingscourt by a comfortable margin in their provincial decider a few weeks’ ago and since then have been working on putting mistakes right as they aim to take the game to St Maur’s.
They are putting no pressure on themselves, it is very much a case of what happens, happens, but at the same time, with an All-Ireland final within touching distance, no doubt that desire and want is there to get over this semi-final hurdle.
“We’ve been maintaining our fitness levels really and working on the mistakes we made during all the Ulster games and we try to decrease them with every game we play.”
“But there’s definitely no pressure being put on us to win. It's a brilliant position to be in at this time of year and our managers Mark and Seamus keep telling us to just enjoy it!
In the other semi-final, Mayo and Connacht champions Kilmoremoy face Cork and Munster winners Kinsale.
