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RTÉ News
4 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Eimear Byrne and family basking in successful yar so far for Louth
From the three previous TG4 All-Ireland Junior Football Championship finals that Louth's Eimear Byrne has played in up to this point, there is one that clearly stands out above all others. Having been part of a side that lost out to Limerick at Croke Park in 2018, Byrne returned to the same venue 12 months later as the Wee County took on Fermanagh in another third-tier decider. While a 3-13 to 2-06 victory for Louth ensured it was always going to be a memorable day, the fact Byrne's sister Aoife lined up alongside her in midfield made it extra special for the St Mochta's star. Although Aoife has stepped away from the inter-county scene in recent years, Eimear was a starter when her native county lost out to Fermanagh in last year's junior showpiece. She has also been an ever-present in the Louth attack during 2025 and is now set to feature in her fourth West County Hotel Cup final against Antrim at Croke Park on 3 August. "In 2019 I was playing alongside my sister Aoife. She has actually retired from inter-county football now. She has had two kids since, but she is back playing club football. Hopefully at some stage I'll get to play alongside her this year," Byrne explained. "2019 was a very, very special year and climbing the steps of the Hogan Stand alongside your sister and playing in midfield with her is something very, very special. Unfortunately I won't have her beside me this time around, but she'll definitely be in the stands shouting me on anyway." Next weekend won't be the first visit to Croke Park this year for the Byrne family as they were previously there on 11 May for one of the most unforgettable days in the recent sporting history of the Wee County. 15 years after another of her siblings (Declan) featured off the bench in a much-discussed provincial decider defeat to the same opposition, Eimear's brother Ciaran played the final eight minutes as the Louth men's team collected their first Leinster title in 68 years with a final victory over Meath. The family achievements don't end there, however, as the aforementioned Declan was part of the management team for a Louth U20s side that qualified for an All-Ireland final with a last-four triumph over Mayo on 16 May - two days before Eimear kicked a brace of points for the ladies side in their Leinster JFC success over Carlow. "It has been a very special year in our house. I'm sitting here looking out the window and the Louth flags are still flying high, and they've been up there for the last couple of weeks. Because 'Casey' (a nickname given to Ciaran due to Eimear's inability to pronounce his name when she was younger) was in the Leinster final and got over the line with that. "Then Deccie was involved in the coaching team for the Louth U20s. It has been a big couple of weeks in our house and loving every moment of it. I think I said this a couple of times in different interviews, that when I walk through the door, my Dad, there is a massive smile on his face. "It's the likes of him, you're kind of delighted he's getting to live through these moments and seeing Louth football being in a really, really good place." What has already been a remarkable year for the Byrnes would be topped off if Louth could claim their fourth junior crown. Yet Byrne was very close to not being part of the panel this deep into the competition. A PE and biology teacher at St Joseph's secondary school in Drogheda, Byrne is opting to take a career break in the coming months. "Any day in Croke Park is going to be a big occasion for both teams" She was initially planning to go travelling last month with her other half, but with a burning desire to get Louth back up to the intermediate grade, Byrne eventually altered her plans. "Originally at the start of the year, I actually had planned to go in June and then I looked at the calendar. I shed a few tears because my boyfriend, he was taking a shorter working year. He's a guard. He had applied for and got it granted for June," Byrne recalled. "We looked at the calendar, I turned to my boyfriend and I said 'I actually can't go in June now'. I said 'I really want to stay and give Louth another rattle'. I had chatted to Kevin (Larkin) the manager and obviously he didn't want me to go. Then I went in and spoke to my principal, and he actually gave me a bit of confidence to actually go for a career break. "I decided to take the full year out next year, but I'm only travelling for six weeks in November and a bit of December. I'll be twiddling my thumbs, looking for a bit of subbing early on next year to fill my time." It will all prove to be worthwhile for Byrne if she can secure the second junior crown next weekend. However, when you consider they triumphed at this grade as recently as 2022, there are a number of players in the Antrim squad who will be looking to do the same. The Saffrons have accrued a Lidl National Football League Division 4 win and an Ulster title across an unbeaten run of 16 games to date in 2025, and this is more than enough reason for Byrnen and Louth to be wary of their challenge. "Antrim, they're a strong outfit. They have some great runners all over the pitch. Their midfield and some very, very strong forwards. It's definitely going to be a tough contest. We're not going to be naïve going in, we've met Antrim a couple of times before over the last couple of years," Byrne added. "We're well used to what they can produce as well. It's going to be very, very tough. Any day in Croke Park is going to be a big occasion for both teams. We're looking forward to it, nonetheless."
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Crozier says Derry can return to All-Ireland Final stage
It may be almost eight years since she donned the colours of her native Derry in an All-Ireland final at Croke Park but Annie Crozier remains hopeful of once again featuring on the biggest day in the LGFA's annual calendar. In September 2017, Crozier scored a point from right corner-forward as the Oak Leaf County drew with provincial rivals Fermanagh in an All-Ireland junior football final at the north Dublin venue. The Ballymaguigan woman also raised a white flag when Derry lost out to the Erne women in the replay at Clones a fortnight later. While there are a lot of new faces to the panel this year, Oak Leaf captain Crozier is optimistic they can develop the right blend needed to seriously challenge for the West County Hotel Cup later this year. "Obviously we're using national league as that building process and getting to know each other as a team," Crozier said. "It [making the junior final in 2017] just shows what is possible, whenever you get a good squad of girls together and you're all working towards one target. Obviously that would be the main aim, to get back there." Although he had stepped away from the set-up by the time they made it to the All-Ireland junior final, Derry had begun the 2017 season with Crozier's father Paul in charge of the team. He would later return to the managerial post for the start of the following year – by which point Annie had opted to spend a gap year in Australia. Paul Crozier was far from being the first member of the St Trea's Ballymaguigan club to manage Derry at inter-county level, with Jim McKeever and 1993 All-Ireland winning boss Eamonn Coleman both in charge of the men's team on more than one occasion. Additionally, Paul's brother and Annie's uncle Paddy Crozier also enjoyed a stint as Derry senior men's football manager. After leading the Oak Leaf to an All-Ireland senior football championship quarter-final in 2007, he went on to guide his county to an Allianz Football League Division One title the following year. "We were Derry die-hards coming up through the years. Used to be going out to support him [Paddy]. We would have been only eight or nine at the time. I remember us all going as a family. Full Derry kits, red and white headbands." After she returned home from her sojourn in the southern hemisphere, Crozier undertook a two-year apprenticeship to become an engineer and she is now working for local firm Heron Brothers as a site engineer in Ballycastle on a shared education campus project between Cross & Passion College and Ballycastle High School. The combination of early working hours and a sizeable commute means it can be tricky for her to achieve a perfect balance between her professional and sporting pursuits, but Crozier believes she has found a way to make it sustainable. "Six o'clock leaving the house and then having your full day on site. 7.30 to 4.30 is the hours and then obviously Ballycastle, it's an hour drive for me. "It's just hard getting the perfect balance sometimes, but I know no different at this point. That's the routine. It's busy nights, long days, but you just get used to it." Derry will go into Sunday's Division Four League clash with Wicklow looking for their first points after four opening defeats. Crozier missed the round-three loss against All-Ireland Intermediate Champions Leitrim because of a skiing trip in France but returned for last Sunday's contest against Sligo in Owenbeg when the visitors secured a 0-11 to 1-4 win. That game was also the Oak Leafers' first home fixture of the year with the round two game against Fermanagh having been moved from Owenbeg to Lifford because of Storm Éowyn. Sunday's clash with Wicklow in Owenbeg will be followed by games against Kilkenny (away) and Antrim (home) in the coming weeks and Crozier believes a win will help Derry to start moving steadily in the right direction ahead of their Ulster and All-Ireland campaigns. "It would be nice to push on, get a win under our belt and try and get a few points on the board. Obviously we'll be keeping the heads down and trying to push on for that," Crozier added.
BBC News
22-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Crozier says Derry can return to All-Ireland Final stage
It may be almost eight years since she donned the colours of her native Derry in an All-Ireland final at Croke Park but Annie Crozier remains hopeful of once again featuring on the biggest day in the LGFA's annual September 2017, Crozier scored a point from right corner-forward as the Oak Leaf County drew with provincial rivals Fermanagh in an All-Ireland junior football final at the north Dublin venue. The Ballymaguigan woman also raised a white flag when Derry lost out to the Erne women in the replay at Clones a fortnight there are a lot of new faces to the panel this year, Oak Leaf captain Crozier is optimistic they can develop the right blend needed to seriously challenge for the West County Hotel Cup later this year."Obviously we're using national league as that building process and getting to know each other as a team," Crozier said."It [making the junior final in 2017] just shows what is possible, whenever you get a good squad of girls together and you're all working towards one target. Obviously that would be the main aim, to get back there." Although he had stepped away from the set-up by the time they made it to the All-Ireland junior final, Derry had begun the 2017 season with Crozier's father Paul in charge of the team. He would later return to the managerial post for the start of the following year – by which point Annie had opted to spend a gap year in Crozier was far from being the first member of the St Trea's Ballymaguigan club to manage Derry at inter-county level, with Jim McKeever and 1993 All-Ireland winning boss Eamonn Coleman both in charge of the men's team on more than one Paul's brother and Annie's uncle Paddy Crozier also enjoyed a stint as Derry senior men's football manager. After leading the Oak Leaf to an All-Ireland senior football championship quarter-final in 2007, he went on to guide his county to an Allianz Football League Division One title the following year."We were Derry die-hards coming up through the years. Used to be going out to support him [Paddy]. We would have been only eight or nine at the time. I remember us all going as a family. Full Derry kits, red and white headbands." Work life balance After she returned home from her sojourn in the southern hemisphere, Crozier undertook a two-year apprenticeship to become an engineer and she is now working for local firm Heron Brothers as a site engineer in Ballycastle on a shared education campus project between Cross & Passion College and Ballycastle High combination of early working hours and a sizeable commute means it can be tricky for her to achieve a perfect balance between her professional and sporting pursuits, but Crozier believes she has found a way to make it sustainable."Six o'clock leaving the house and then having your full day on site. 7.30 to 4.30 is the hours and then obviously Ballycastle, it's an hour drive for me."It's just hard getting the perfect balance sometimes, but I know no different at this point. That's the routine. It's busy nights, long days, but you just get used to it." Derry aiming to end losing run Derry will go into Sunday's Division Four League clash with Wicklow looking for their first points after four opening missed the round-three loss against All-Ireland Intermediate Champions Leitrim because of a skiing trip in France but returned for last Sunday's contest against Sligo in Owenbeg when the visitors secured a 0-11 to 1-4 game was also the Oak Leafers' first home fixture of the year with the round two game against Fermanagh having been moved from Owenbeg to Lifford because of Storm É clash with Wicklow in Owenbeg will be followed by games against Kilkenny (away) and Antrim (home) in the coming weeks and Crozier believes a win will help Derry to start moving steadily in the right direction ahead of their Ulster and All-Ireland campaigns."It would be nice to push on, get a win under our belt and try and get a few points on the board. Obviously we'll be keeping the heads down and trying to push on for that," Crozier added.
