Dublin's Abby Shiels hopes All-Ireland win can be start of new era

As Dublin won their first All-Ireland ladies football title since 2020, key to their success between the posts was goalkeeper Abby Sheils.

Making crucial saves at vital times of the season, Abby's performances were recognised in November when she won her first all-star award, in a year when she won her first All-Ireland title.

In a season where young players like Abby stood up, she looked back on 2023 with BreakingNews.ie, as the Lucan goalkeeper admitted the season surpassed expectations.

"It was a bit of a whirlwind alright, I don't think we were expecting the year to go the way it was. The way we started off the year, it was definitely going in a different direction to how it finished.

"It was a really great year of just developing, becoming a new team, and obviously winning as well. It was just a matter of getting ourselves back to the standards we had set ourselves a few years ago.

"We lost to Meath in 2021, and then in 2022 we went out really early against Donegal in the quarter-final, so it was a matter of regrouping.

"We lost out on a few faces, that would be regular players and regular starters, and we got new people in, so it was regrouping and becoming a new team.

"There was a bit of pressure to improve on where we have been in the past two years."

The improvement in the Dublin team could be seen from th performances of Shiels, who firmly made the number one jersey her own.

After battling Ciara Trent for the starting position, the Lucan woman wasn't content with just starting for her county, as she was recognised as the standout goalkeeper in the country.

"For the last couple of years, Ciara has been unreal, and she's been there. It has been a matter of me just doing my best to get up to the standard she set.