Molloy excited by another instalment of final fever

By Michael McMullan

SATURDAY’S rescheduled All-Ireland final has brought the excitement to the corridors of St Louis Grammar School.

Bun sales, headbands and messages of encouragement from the school community haven’t gone unnoticed with midfielder Katie Molloy.

“You can see first and second years walking around with St Louis headbands, they are all excited,” she said. “We have been doing a few different things to raise money for kit…and Mr (Adrian) Quinn has been doing his famous crepes.”

School was closed last week, but there was an infectious smile across Molloy’s face last Monday’s press evening before another coaching session ahead of Sunday’s showdown with Gorey Community School.

It’s an excitement that has spiralled from their Ulster semi-final defeat (2-8 to 1-4) at the hands of St Patrick’s Maghera who will contest this weekend’s All-Ireland A final.

The “good second chance” has taken St Louis three wins on their way to this weekend’s B decider.

“It’s a chance for us to show what we are capable of because I don’t think we did that,” Molloy said of their Ulster semi-final defeat.

“It was down to a range of things, but we definitely didn’t do ourselves justice. We came together, as a team, and decided we were really going to go for it and it was a great opportunity to get, to show what we are capable of and get to the final.”

Molloy and the team are content with their performances in recent weeks. Now it’s about ironing out any creases in their game and building on the strengths.

“We always knew we were a special group and that was the most disappointing factor,” she added of their Ulster exit.

“There were glimpses in the match (against Maghera) of what we could do, but we never really got a hold on the game and that’s the most disappointing thing.

“Getting into this competition, it has given us a chance to show what we can do and it has been paying off so far. Now, we want to push on this year and get a trophy for the team.”

It’s not the first taste of All-Ireland final fever for Molloy, a sister of Ronan who hit the net in the early stages of Dunloy’s defeat at the hands of Ballyhale Shamrock’s last month.

“They’re big shoes to fill,” Katie joked. “I’ll just hopefully be able to play my part at midfield.

“Everyone (in Dunloy) was so excited for the match and it’s the same in school. You are building towards it and this is where you want to be at the end of the year.

“Seeing Dunloy playing in Croke Park, it just inspired everyone around them with the excitement it brings..

“Everyone was looking forward to that Sunday and it is the same here, everything has been geared towards getting to this final.”