Noelle Tierney’s long journey for Carnacon

Her own woman


Noelle Tierney isn’t a typical footballer

Interview
Mike Finnerty

IT’S 198 miles from Drogheda to the pitch in Clogher where the Carnacon ladies do much of their training.
Not a lot of people probably know that but Noelle Tierney could tell you about every twist and turn of the journey.
The 24 year-old has been teaching Home Economics at St Oliver’s Community School in the Co Louth town for the last twelve months, and commutes back to Mayo for training and matches during the club and county football seasons.
Next Sunday she will be hoping to win her fifth All-Ireland club medal with Carnacon; her first came back in 2002 when she was a 13 year-old substitute on a team full of talented teenagers.
Ten years on and Noelle Tierney is the battle-hardened Mayo defender and experienced Carnacon number three.
A journey that began with the Carra U-12 Community Games team has brought All-Irelands, an All Star, highs and lows.
By her own admission the native of Drummin, a small village between Errew and Ballyheane, takes it all in her stride.
“People think I’m calm during games because I don’t open my mouth,” she explained last week.
“At half-time I like to sit down and relax, some girls would be losing the head. The older girls know what I’m like though.
“I wouldn’t be travelling back from Drogheda if we weren’t competing for Connacht and All-Ireland titles,” she added by way of explanation.
“But winning is only part of it, being part of the group is a big thing for me too. There are a bunch of players there that aren’t afraid to say what they think. There are a lot of strong personalities, a colourful bunch.
“But I wouldn’t be one of them,” she laughed.
It becomes obvious quickly that if you’re looking for a stereotypical footballer, obsessed by the game and driven on by a fear of failure, then you’ve come to the wrong place.
Noelle Tierney is a fierce competitor in her own way, and a fully paid-up member of the Cora ‘fan club’ (“In 2009 I was marking her at every training session and it stood to me. I improved so much.”), but she does it her way.
“I don’t play football in Drogheda but I joined an athletic club and train on Tuesdays and Thursdays,” she revealed.
“I didn’t join a football club because, to be honest, I didn’t think the standard would be up to scratch and I hate training sessions where balls are dropping and things aren’t done properly.
“Plus, I love running and you can get your fill of football sometimes.
“I find it beneficial because you have to be quick off the mark for full-back. We do 400m, 600m and 1200m runs, and the other evening we went for a five mile run around the town because the pitch where we train was too wet.
“All the other athletes have all the gear but I just turn up in my football gear and run. I’m like Forrest Gump, I don’t know when to stop,” she smiled. This week Noelle Tierney will be teaching for 22 hours and “won’t think much” about Sunday’s showdown with Donaghmoyne.
Win or lose, she and her Carnacon team-mates will return to The Olde Ground and The Squealing Pig pubs in Ballyglass on Sunday evening, and share in the moment together.
It has become part of what they are.
“I’ve always had great time for the club,” she admitted. “There are great structures within Carnacon and the consistency of the senior team is something that appeals to me.
“Last year I came home every weekend but this year I find the travelling more difficult. Jimmy [Corbett] and Beatrice [Casey] are very understanding and the great thing is that we know that we can rely on each other.”
All for one, and one for all, on the journey of a lifetime.

Fixture
All-Ireland Ladies Club SFC Final
Carnacon v Donaghmoyne
Sunday, December 2
Ballinamore at 1.30pm
Referee: J Niland (Sligo)