Eviston feels team is building

By Joe Scully

Tipperary centre back Mairead Eviston cut a happy figure in the wake of her sides victory over Clare on Saturday, and is pleased with how things are shaping up for the team ahead of the business end of the season.

“We’re building the whole way through the championship so today we just wanted to just to focus on another good performance and that’s what we did,” said the Drom & Inch club-player.

“We weren’t overly happy with our second half performance against Limerick last week, and at half time today we spoke about that in the dressing room and about keeping the energy high in the second half, and in patches we might have let it slip, but overall, very happy with the performance.”

Eviston is really looking forward to what will be a massive test next Sunday against Kilkenny in the quarter final.

“It’s in Croke Park too before the hurlers, and that’s a big occasion, but to us it’s another game,” she insisted.

“We’re exactly where we want to be, it’s the knockout stage, and we feel we’re coming right at just the right time of year, so we are just going to keep our heads down, keep tipping away, and bring another big performance at the weekend.

“We never need too much to get up for Kilkenny, and look they are the same as us, it’s all to fight for now, there’s no real safety net anymore, if you win you keep going and if you lose you are out, so we know exactly what we’re getting into.

“It’s going to be a big battle, and we need to get our heads and bodies right over the next seven days, and really bring the right type of energy to the game on Sunday.”

Eviston also feels that the depth of the panel and the addition of some of last years All-Ireland winning minor squad has really added a lot to the squad this year and has made them a better team because of it.

“It’s great everyone is putting their hands up,” she added.

“We have a few new girls coming in from the minors last year and they’re bringing a new energy, and really pushing us old ones on, so it is keeping the energy up, it’s keeping the tempo up, and it’s bringing an enjoyment to training, and that’s what every setup wants.

“When your bringing on subs and they are making the whole team stronger, that just shows the depth of the panel, so absolutely delighted to get the girls onto the field.”