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The weather was lovely last Saturday afternoon and in Trillan we had the rare opportunity to watch the women making history in Irish women’s football, with Russell, O’Gorman and Zambra all showing off their talents.
Watching the action was a familiar face. He was always at the stadium named after his friend and team-mate on a Friday or Saturday night. He was also often seen on the Marshes on Sunday mornings after the Western United Under-13 Girls played in Galway FA Division Two.
A giant in Galway football, Gerry Daly speaks passionately about the Galway United Ladies football team. A deep thinker and a tough defender, Gerry understands the importance of this team and explains it eloquently.
“It was an honour to go to Sligo last year when they made the final. Apart from winning the trophy which is a huge honour in itself, they have done a great job for women’s football in Galway.”
“A lot of people tend to forget that most of these girls are still working or at university. I am actually very inspired by the time and dedication they put into the sport. They should be very proud of themselves and the people of Galway should be very proud of them.”
“When you go to a game, you go there to be entertained. But what goes on behind the scenes with these girls is shocking. To be honest, sometimes I’m speechless with the way these girls play.”
Morality and dedication
His fondness for the ethics and dedication of his players was evident. But most of all, Gerry loved the game and the team he saw.
“As a team, they work really well together. They have players and ball-rushers. What I like about them is when there’s a turnover, they keep working on it. Their overall play is really good. As a defender, I like the way they try to kick the ball out of defense.”
“I would say to them, make sure your first pass, especially as a defender, is either clear or makes sure the pass gets to you because that first pass can make or break your game.”
“Whatever you do in life, you can’t buy experience and they were in the final last year. In the same way, last year’s final is now in the past and you are only as good as your last game.”
“My view on sports has always been this, I respect my opponents, but I’m never afraid of them. For all of the girls on Saturday, they were just as good or better than their opponents. I think Phil Trier has given them confidence.”
Galvestonians have plenty of options for spending their Saturdays in the summer, but Manchester United loyalists insist there’s no better way to spend a Saturday than by watching the team.
“I made a point to be there every Saturday and watch the girls play. For me, it was a combination of two things. First, I was there to block every tackle. There were nights I was standing with Tommy Lally, and he was trying to save every shot. When the ball was in your hands, you were in your hands.”
“For those who didn’t attend the game but want to be entertained, I would highly recommend to all Galway people that women’s football has come a long way. It’s exciting for me personally. I was there two weeks ago. Even though the result against Shelbourne wasn’t ideal, I thought that game was as good as any football I’ve ever seen.
“What I like about women’s soccer is that they don’t roll around on the ground. They stand up and give it their all. They don’t look for sympathy from the referee.”
That sentiment sums up his respect for women’s soccer and how much the game has grown and inspired it is. Saturday’s win was nice, but its true importance to Jerry and others was best measured by the number of girls in the swamp on Sunday.
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