Ailbhe Dovern hoping to overcome final hurdle for club and county
Michael Bolton
For Ailbhe Dovern, there is only one thing missing from her club and county career - an All-Ireland title.
With both Galway and Kilmacud Crokes, Dovern could not have got much closer.
An All-Ireland final defeat with Galway against Kerry in 2024 was followed five months later by a defeat with Kilmacud Crokes to Kilkerin-Clonberne.
In July, Galway were moments away from returning to the All-Ireland final, before a last-second free saw their semi-final against Dublin forced to extra-time, which they lost.
In difficult setbacks to process, the Galway footballer is taking the positives.
"I suppose the goal is to get there, and you have to not look at every season as, especially if you're from Galway, if you look at every season as a failure if you don't win an All-Ireland. We'll take some pride in getting to those finals.
"I suppose the next step is just performing in those finals, and it is a challenge, and it is hard. How you pick yourself back up is by believing that you can get back there again.
"We truly believe that Galway will get back to an All-Ireland again, and we're hoping to get back there again this year."
This weekend, Kilmacud are aiming to reach the All-Ireland final once again when they face the Antrim champions Moneyglass.
Having moved from Moycullen to Kilmacud Crokes, Dovern has found the move a simple transition.
"I suppose if you join any team, you're trying to integrate and be the best you can be.
"But the transition was very easy. Dearbhla [Gower] from Galway was already playing with Kilmacud, and the players were just so accepting. Extremely humble players in the team who just build their game on hard work.
"So if you just show any element of that hard work, which I hopefully do, you can get on. But I suppose when you're starting anything, you're trying to be the best you can be. But the management there and the girls made me feel so welcome.
"So I definitely don't feel the pressure to be anything that I'm not anyway."
Should they win, it is likely defending champions Kilkerin-Clonberne who will be waiting for them in the final in Croke Park.
As the Galway side seek their fifth All-Ireland in a row, Ailbhe will not be looking past this weekend, with the All-Ireland final defeat not on her mind until after this weekend.
"I probably haven't reflected on it full yet. If we beat Monyeglass, I'll do a much stronger reflection on it.
"I suppose we were disappointed we couldn't get over the line. We put up a good battle over the last couple of years, and all we can do is focus on ourselves and try and be the best we can be on the day if we get back there.
"They're extremely strong, and they're the team to beat at the minute so we just have to try and keep improving and perform on the day if we can."
