LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS

Bready Women captain Lucy McGranaghan has challenged her newly crowned Premiership champions to maintain their relentless standards as they prepare for a demanding month that could bring further silverware.

The Tyrone side collected the league trophy after extending their perfect record to eight wins from eight, securing the title with two matches still to play.

It has been a commanding campaign from Bready, but there is little opportunity to relax. A Women’s Cup final against Bonds Glen awaits next month, while an All-Ireland semi-final against Holywood provides another opportunity to test themselves on a bigger stage.

For McGranaghan, the busy schedule represents a challenge to be embraced rather than feared.

“It’s been a brilliant season for us and one the girls should be incredibly proud of,” she said. “To win the Premiership with two games still to play shows the consistency, commitment and hard work the team has shown throughout the season. We’ve worked extremely hard to put ourselves in that position, and it’s a fantastic achievement.”

Bready have combined experience with exciting young talent throughout their unbeaten league run, repeatedly finding different match-winners when required. That strength in depth has been central to their success, with McGranaghan believing the benefit of another year together has been clearly visible.

“I’ve been really impressed with the commitment and attitude from everyone this year,” she said. “The squad has stayed largely the same, but having another year together has made a huge difference.

“The younger girls have continued to develop, gaining valuable experience and confidence, while additions like Ella Wasson have brought even more quality and depth to the group. Having players of the quality of international Alana Dalzell within the squad also shows the talent, experience and strength we have throughout the team.”

McGranaghan has been particularly pleased by the collective nature of Bready’s title triumph. Although individual performances have often provided the spark, their success has been founded on a strong team spirit and a willingness among the entire squad to accept responsibility.

“As captain, I’m incredibly proud of what this team has achieved,” she said. "It has been a real collective effort, with different players stepping up at different times throughout the season, and that togetherness has been one of our biggest strengths.”

The league trophy has already ensured this will be remembered as a successful year, but Bready are determined not to allow their standards to slip during the closing weeks of the campaign.

Their two remaining Premiership fixtures offer an opportunity to complete an unbeaten league season, while the cup competitions provide the chance to turn an excellent campaign into an unforgettable one.

“While we’re delighted to have secured the league title, we know the job isn’t finished yet,” McGranaghan insisted. “We have the cup final against Bonds Glen to look forward to, as well as an All-Ireland match against Holywood, so there are still some huge games ahead. We’d love to finish the season as strongly as we’ve played it and give ourselves the best chance of adding more silverware.”

Bready will enter both knockout contests with confidence after their dominant domestic form, although McGranaghan knows league success guarantees nothing when the pressure of cup cricket arrives.

“We know there are still two massive challenges ahead,” she said. “We’ll approach both games with the same determination and belief we’ve shown all season, and hopefully we can finish what has already been a brilliant year by giving ourselves the best chance of bringing home more silverware.”