Emma Lawlor basking in glow of Laois success

It capped the perfect year, her decision to return to the inter-county fold and just before she jetted off Down Under, Emma Lawlor was overwhelmed leaving the Croke Park pitch.

The victory over Wexford also ended a barren spell for Laois on All-Ireland final day, dating back to 2001, when her own aunt was one of the mainstays for the O'Moore County.

Laois and Lawlor have been on a journey since then and it was almost like destiny had conjured up the perfect occasion to land the TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate Championship in front of her whole family.

"My family are a big football family," said Lawlor. "My auntie is Tracey Lawlor – she has four All-Stars and was the person I really looked up to the whole way.

"I was only very young but my nanny and granddad would have brought me to all of her matches. Just seeing her playing, she was amazing. I always said that I wanted to be just like her. She was really my inspiration.

"She was playing in the 2001 team and last Sunday was a big day for my family, considering my auntie was playing in the last All-Ireland and I was playing in this one. The whole family was there.

"My dad Declan trained me since I was five too. He was over my club team and he is still over it. My family is how I got into playing football. They keep me going and they keep the hunger there.

"They really got me into it and as I said, I’m playing since I’m five so you have to really love it if you are playing it that long."

The 21-year-old actually missed out on Laois’ run to the intermediate semi-finals last year, along with their triumph in the Division 3 final.

"It was hard to step away from the panel last year, after playing with them since I was 16, but I think the year out made me hungrier for football"

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