Inverness II take on Badenoch II in the Mowi Challenge Cup on Saturday. To preview the game, we caught up with their captain Carolann Innes.
Carolann, how are you feeling as you lead Inverness into the Mowi Challenge Cup Final this Saturday?
This will be my third time leading the team out in the Mowi Challenge Cup and it doesn’t get any easier! I’ll admit nerves are kicking in but I’m also really excited to be given the opportunity to do it again. We’ve got a great wee team and I’m really looking forward to playing along side them.
What do you believe will be the biggest challenge facing your team in the final against Badenoch II?
Badenoch ll are a fantastic young team, only just above us in the league, the last time we met we came up against a strong Badenoch side and the result went against us, so we need to set aside that game. We’ve got a full team this time and so we’re fully focused on the final.
Your team has shown strong attacking performances throughout the season. How do you plan to maintain that momentum going into the final?
We work as a team, we all have a job to do, but we’re there for each other. We have two of the top scorers in the league playing on Saturday, but any one of our girls are more than capable of putting that ball in the net. We just have to keep that mindset of we can do this!
As captain, how do you motivate your teammates during high-pressure matches like this one?
Having played in previous finals there will be a lot of pressure on the pitch on Saturday and it will be quite daunting playing in front of a larger crowd. I will be there to encourage the girls as much as I can and keep positive for them. Some of the girls know what to expect from playing last year, so we will keep each other going and we will have our fantastic supporters on the sidelines too.
How does it feel to potentially lift the Mowi Challenge Cup as captain, and what would it mean to you and the team?
It would mean so much for the team, club and myself to finally lift the Mowi Challenge Cup! This is our 4th final, so hopefully bringing it back to Inverness this year.
