After three years of travelling back and forth between Dublin and Galway for training, Nicola Ward is feeling the benefit of being based in her home county.
"You're not after doing work, getting into a car to go down training, and then driving back up again," says the Galway footballer, the PwC GAA/GPA Player of the Month for June in ladies football.
"Your body used to be in bits sometimes from it. I definitely feel the benefits of being closer to home.
"As you get older as well, you want to settle - I definitely want to stay in Galway. It's easier to be closer to home when you're older. It definitely is better for your performance as well."
The 26-year-old began a Masters in Business at the University of Limerick last year while still working part-time as a nurse at Crumlin Children's Hospital. She was part of the UL team which reached the O'Connor Cup final in March.
"I'm doing my thesis during the summer," she says.
"I'll hopefully look for the next career move then after that's done. Maybe combine the two (business and nursing) or go to something different."
17 June 2023; Ciara O'Sullivan of Cork in action against Nicola Ward of Galway during the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Senior Football Championship Round 1 match between Galway and Cork at Pearse Stadium in Galway. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Ward was outstanding for Galway in their biggest win of the year thus far, a 3-11 to 1-11 victory over Cork in the group stage of the championship. It came just a fortnight after a disappointing defeat to Mayo in the Connacht final and two months on from a 13-point loss to Kerry in the Division 1 league final.
"After those losses, it was really disappointing," says the Kilkerrin-Clonberne player.
"We definitely had a lot of work to do in certain areas. Kerry scored five goals in the league final. It was about figuring out the ways those happened and the works ons from that.
"In championship football, if you were to let in four or five goals in matches, you wouldn't be going too far. That's something we focused on significantly.
"It's just about a bit more commanding. It's a lot to do with knowing the other team and if they have a threat like and Aisling Moloney or Rachel Kearns who are good in the air that can cause those goals to go in. Constant communication is massive on the pitch, to call back players, knowing where you marker is. We've done well in those two matches in the championship.
"It's definitely brought us a lot closer together. We're doing everything we can to make sure those days don't happen again.
"For me, on that day [against Cork], it was redemption, it was to show everyone that we're not as bad as what people are saying we are, and that those two losses don't define us as a team, they don't define us as players. We were ready to hit the ground running that day. We did in great form."
15 April 2023; Nicola Ward of Galway in action against Cáit Lynch of Kerry during the Lidl Ladies Football National League Division 1 Final match between Kerry and Galway at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
That win against Cork, combined with an 8-12 to 2-3 victory over Tipperary, sent Galway through to the quarter-finals as group winners where they will again face Mayo.
Galway are hoping to go a step, or more, further than last year when they lost to Meath in the last eight by a point. Emma Duggan kicked the winner for the reigning All-Ireland champions with the last play of the game as they went on to retain their title with the wins which followed against Donegal and Kerry.
"Just a few tweaks here and there, and we could potentially find ourselves in an All-Ireland final, and potentially win it," says Ward.
"We're also aware of the task ahead of us. While I'm saying we could win it, Mayo, Dublin, Donegal, Cork, Armagh could also be saying it's theirs. It's definitely a wide open championship and the quarter-finals that are coming in two weeks' time are anyone's to be won.
"I think it could be a bit more open this year than it was last year. While last year, people were saying it was open, definitely Meath, when you are playing against them, they are very hard to break down. They have a really good system in place, and the players all know what they are doing. When you are playing them, you can see why they're two-time All-Ireland champions.
"I don't think Meath are finished just yet. They are still a brilliant team, and when you get to these stages of the championship, anything can happen on the day."
Though she is still just in her mid-20s, it's nine years since Ward made her Galway senior debut.
"I can still remember the first time I came on in championship, playing Monaghan in an All-Ireland semi-final," she says.
"It was our second last year at minor. Myself and Olivia Divilly came on that day.
"When I started off, I was playing corner-back for Galway, wing-back. I played in the forwards a bit, played the odd bit in midfield. I think I've grown in confidence, and I know who I am as a player. I know my weaknesses and strengths.
"Maybe my height is a weakness sometimes. When you're up against the likes of Aisling Moloney who have a height advantage on you, that can be a weakness. Strengths are definitely judging the play from centre-back.
"We have great support from our county board. From the years when I first started off, we wouldn't have got food after training or really good pitches, S&C; we have a physio now constantly at training, access to medical support if we need it, a dietician. All those people have come in gradually each year."
1 July 2023; Laois and Mayo players stand together during the playing of Amhrán na bhFiann before the TG4 LGFA All-Ireland Senior Championship match between Mayo and Laois at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in Castlebar, Mayo. Photo by Tom Beary/Sportsfile
While the support the Galway ladies footballers receive is at a high level, that is not the case for every inter-county women's team. Last month, senior inter-county camogie and football panels announced that they would be playing the remainder of the season "under protest".
Through the GPA, the panels said they have requested that the LGFA, Camogie Association and GAA engage in discussions to develop a player charter which would establish minimum standards for their collective welfare.
On Tuesday, the 68 captains of the male inter-county teams expressed support for their female colleagues, adding that they believe this is not just a matter for the LGFA and Camogie Association but also the GAA.
"That's why we're doing the protest - equal treatment for all," says Ward.
"It's important that while we have good support from our county board for those areas, we are aware that other teams around the country don't."
