What a year it has been for the ladies' Kerry football team and when they lifted the Brendan Martin Cup there was one person in particular who Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh wanted to share the glory with.
Louise and her brother Colm have always had a close relationship and they both have a true passion for the sport. Colm, who is two years older than Louise, played for the Kerry minors in 2007.
On the day they lifted the cup, Louise said "he gave me a big massive hug and he had tears in his eyes" as he watched his sister finally get the medal that she had worked so hard for, for so many years.
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Making her debut at just 16 for the Kingdom in 2008, Louise until this year was often referred to as "one of the greatest footballers never to win an All-Ireland."
Chatting to EVOKE at the LGFA TG4 Awards ceremony, she said: "Last year my brother got married the day before the quarter-final against Meath, down in Tully.
"I was at the wedding and we had a great time but I had to go home at one o'clock and then flew down Saturday, played the game, and then we flew back up again Sunday and had day three with them."
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Louise continued: "I wouldn't have missed that (the wedding). He's my only brother and he's a special person in my life so I wouldn't have missed that for the world but it kind of did make me think, when I was leaving the wedding early, I was like 'Oh God, is this all worth it?'"
With huge support from her family, Lousie explained how: "Himself (Colm) and Niamh came over to me around one o'clock and were like 'you need to go home. You need to win the game tomorrow.' There were tears but it was all worth it."
And boy were they right! The journey to lifting that cup was far from easy but when you have support behind you it can make it that little bit easier.
For Louise, "Mum, Dad, and Colm would be massive supporters. I wouldn't have got through anything in life if it wasn't for the three of them."
*This article was originally published on Evoke.ie.
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