Striving for success rather than survival in the senior ranks is the focus for Tipperary
Aiming High in 2025: McGuigan and Tipp's Push for Glory
Tipperary's Angela McGuigan and the Premier women have been punching above their weight since their return to the All-Ireland senior football competition nearly six years ago. But now, they're not just content with holding their ground, they're aiming for a leap forward in 2025.
McGuigan, who represented her county at minor level in the same season, cemented her place at full-forward with a 1-01 performance when Tipp edged past Meath in the All-Ireland intermediate final at Croke Park six years ago. Since then, their resilience has seen them steer clear of relegation despite some close calls, culminating in a memorable 2-16 to 1-14 victory over the Royal County in 2019.
With an eye on greater success than mere survival, McGuigan and her teammates are eager to break new ground, targeting a senior quarter-final berth for the first time in the modern era.
Today, they face Galway in a crucial opening match in Tuam Stadium. Later in the month, they'll also welcome Donegal to their home turf.
McGuigan admitted that their results last year were disappointing, with a draw against Armagh and a narrow loss to Meath leaving them in a fight to stay in the senior division. But she's adamant that this year, they're ready to raise the bar.
"We've kind of just been surviving the last few years, coming close and not making it," she said. "We're really pushing to try and get into a quarter-final this year. It has been a huge goal to try and make it, not just survive and stay up in senior."
Galway, one of the form teams in the country after gaining victories in 11 out of 11 games, pose a significant challenge. After a third-place finish in Division 2, followed by defeats to Waterford and Cork in the Munster competition, the final round against Kerry provided a much-needed morale boost for Tipp.
"That was huge because I think we weren't really performing well. We'd lost badly enough to Waterford and Cork in the first two matches, so we really needed something out of the Kerry match and it was a good performance," McGuigan said.
Dubbed one of the most well-traveled Gaelic footballers in Ireland, McGuigan has a story that includes stints with clubs in Kildare and Dublin. Originally from the Sliabh na mBan club in Tipperary, she joined the Defence Forces upon leaving school and found herself working alongside Grainne Kenneally, a former Waterford footballer who joined Kildare in 2020.
After amassing impressive scores in senior championship wins with Eadestown in 2021 and 2022, McGuigan will now wear the club colors of St Sylvester's in Dublin for the 2025 season. With her studies in sports science at TU Dublin, she's proud to have played alongside former Dublin star Niamh McEvoy in the O'Connor Cup.
"She was doing a PhD in TUD and she had ended up playing two of the O'Connor Cup weekends with us. She is obviously an unbelievable footballer, but we got on really well personally as well," McGuigan added.
With the fierce competitiveness of the Dublin senior championship looming, McGuigan and her new clubmates are ready for the challenge. The goal is clear: make history with Tipperary, and bring home the silverware with St Sylvester's.
Insights:Angela McGuigan's unique background in defence forces and multiple clubs, along with her team's ambitious goal of reaching the senior quarter-final, adds an intriguing narrative to the Tipperary squad's journey this season[1][2][5].
Team Goal for 2025The primary objective is to reach the All-Ireland senior football quarter-final, marking a significant leap forward for the team.
Summary Table
| Aspect | Details ||------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------|| 2025 Goal | Reach All-Ireland senior quarter-final || Key Player | Angela McGuigan, a well-traveled player with an interesting background || Upcoming Fixture | Three games in 2025: Galway (June 7), Donegal (June 21), and multiple games in the Dublin senior championship |
The Tipperary team, led by Angela McGuigan, aims to make a significant leap forward by targeting the All-Ireland senior football quarter-final in 2025. Their journey includes crucial matches against Galway and Donegal, as well as participating in the Dublin senior championship. Angela McGuigan, a former player for multiple clubs, brings her unique experiences to the team.
