Cara hoping for another day to remember

By Niall Gartland

NAOMH Treasa vice-captain Cara Little is counting down the days to Saturday’s All-Ireland Junior ‘B’ Championship final against Glasgow-based Ceann Creige in Abbotstown.

Little, an immensely talented attacking player, captained the Dungannon camogs to All-Ireland glory just four years ago in the delayed 2020 final, and she’s hopeful that their prior experience of performing on the big stage will stand to them this weekend.

Not only that but she believes that they’re an even stronger force than four years back, so she sees no reason not to be optimistic about their chances against the Scottish side.

But it hasn’t all been smooth-sailing this season. Their 2023 Tyrone Senior Championship final defeat after a replay to Eglish was viewed as a major missed opportunity, and a hectic schedule of matches meant that training inevitably flagged.

But when the business end of the season came around, Naomh Treasa were ready, and they claimed provincial honours with victory over Middletown before marching into the All-Ireland final.

Cara said: “I’ve always been confident in the girls but I wouldn’t say it’s been smooth sailing this year.

“The loss against Eglish was heartbreaking for the girls, and at the start of this season, our numbers weren’t the best as we had injuries and dual players with other commitments.

“Then it felt like we had game-after-game when the Armagh and Tyrone leagues got going. We were just flat out, and struggled to get a training session in between the amount of games we were playing.

“You couldn’t get working on any type of tactics or skill because we were playing Mondays and Wednesdays on repeat.

“It had been quite a tough year in that respect but in the run up to the county championship we got our heads in gear and have taken it step by step.”

Reflecting back to the winter of 2021, when they overcame Knockananna from Wicklow by a single point on All-Ireland final day, Cara is filled with pride but makes the point that they’ve come on in leaps and bounds in the meantime.

“It was all a blur in a way but it was unbelievable. I remember we played Edendork in the County final that year too, and then after each win, I personally felt ‘gosh this is going pretty well for ourselves, maybe we can do this’.

“Mickey McErlean was our coach and I’ll never forget it, he said his birthday was on All-Ireland final day and I remember thinking ‘we have to win this for Mickey’s birthday.’

“So we’ve been in this position before and we know what it takes, and I know we’re miles and miles ahead of where we were.”

Managed by Dean McParland and Cormac Toner, Naomh Treasa are also joined on the line by club and county stalwart Mary McLaughlin, whom Cara describes as the ‘mummy’ of the group.

“Dean and Cormac are brilliant. It’s actually Cormac’s first year with us. Dean was there last year as well and has brought Cormac in and I think it’s great to have another person who can see things.

“They’re so informative and put in so much work in behind the scenes, and Mary’s the same. She’s involved in the county board and she’s like another mummy to us all. She cares so much and we are unbelievably grateful to them all.”

Cara’s brother Mickey Little is a prominent hurler with Eoghan Ruadh and Tyrone and she says she followed in his footsteps in picking up the hurl.

“Mickey started playing when he was in primary school. The first time I went to Dungannon training was when I was 14, I remember thinking how much Mickey loved hurling and I thought I’d give it a go. He was into it first but I like to say he takes after me now!”

Their All-Ireland final clash has been pencilled in for Abbotstown on the outskirts of Dublin. She’s looking forward to the day out but the only thing that really matters is coming back home with the cup.

“We’re happy enough whenever the game was played because we appreciate the other team are coming over from Glasgow. I thought depending on where they’re travelling into, it could be Belfast or Dublin. The facilities in Abbotstown are meant to be amazing, we’re getting a bus down and our spirits will be high so it’s exciting to look forward to.”