by Jackie Cahill

Following a difficult couple of years, Tipperary's ladies footballers have their mojo back - and Edel Hanley's return to the fold this year has played a major part in the Premier County's renaissance.

After getting married in 2014, Aherlow star Hanley decided to take some time out from the intercounty game.

Hanley, 33, kicked ten points in the 2008 TG4 All-Ireland intermediate final victory over Clare before suffering defeat in the 2013 final against Cavan.

She was renowned as one of the most complete forwards in the game but Tipp's fortunes plummeted over the last two seasons, with a number of players controversially axed from the panel during John Leahy's tenure before Gerry McGill brought them back this year. 

Hanley, an Allstar in 2008, accepted McGill's invitation to come back on board and she describes her decision to don the blue and gold again as the best she's ever made.

The set-up, according to Hanley, is top class and the prolific forward smiled: "It's the best decision I've made to come back. I'm delighted to be a part of it, I'm really, really enjoying it."

She's captain, too, and relishing the prospect of leading Tipperary into another national final, when they face off against old rivals Waterford in Saturday's Lidl Division 3 decider.

Hanley added: "It's a great set-up, a great panel of players, great management team and everybody is very positive.

"Everyone is back playing and the best players in the county are part of the panel. That's what you want."

Hanley, living in Offaly, is a teaching instructor at the Garda College in Templemore.

She's been in the force for 12 years and applied for her new role in 2014, an application that proved successful.

She makes three-hour round trips to link up with the Tipperary squad three times a week but Hanley has managed to strike the right balance in life between personal and professional.

She explained: "It's a very different job now to what it was when I started off.

"I'm in the instructor role now in the college, it's very enjoyable and like a new job really.

"I'm really enjoying working with new recruits."

Before returning to intercounty football this year, Hanley's previous competitive outing for Tipp was that 2013 All-Ireland loss.

She recalled: "The fact that I was changing jobs and getting married were factors in not playing county.

"When I got the call from Gerry, there was only one decision to be made.

"When your county want you, you want to play for them."

Hanley could add another medal to her collection at the weekend but accepts that the challenge will be tough as Waterford, 2015 All-Ireland champions and now a senior outfit, stand in Tipp's way in a straight shoot-out for promotion to Division 2.

Hanley notes: "Waterford are a superb outfit, they're fit, strong, determined.

"They're reigning All-Ireland (intermediate) champions, a senior team and we're under no illusions on Saturday.

"We'll have it all to do but we're looking forward to it and we're in a good place.

"We're in a bit of bonus territory to reach a national final but delighted to be there.

"I'd know some of the Waterford girls from down through the years and there's a great, healthy rivalry there.

"When they won the All-Ireland last year, I was delighted for them. They deserved their win and have some fabulous players in all sectors of the pitch.

"I think our 2008 team was special but equally so, we definitely feel we have a panel good enough to challenge again.

"Whether we can win it (All-Ireland) only time will tell. We just take every game as it comes at the moment, we tend not to look any further than that.

"One thing we have is a blend of youth and experience, which any successful team needs. There's been great work done at underage level and that's definitely a contributing factor."

And Hanley admits that the her dream is to play at Croke Park again with Tipperary before the curtain comes down on her career.

She added: "Ah sure loo, that's the ultimate, to get back to Croke Park. It would be fantastic to think that we could represent Tipp in Croke Park again in September but there's a lot of football to be played between now and then.

"We'll have to wait and see. That's the ultimate goal for all 32 counties starting out this year."

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