Down Camogie star Dearbhla Magee with the PwC GPA Player of the Month for May award. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
By Cian O’Connell
Dearbhla Magee is optimistic about the future of Down Camogie. Nearly a decade playing with the county Magee has sampled success at Junior and Intermediate level.
There is a real sense of pride to be competing at the highest grade now with extremely demanding matches edging closer against Cork and Galway.
Those fixtures will be severe tests for Down, who lost their Championship opener to Clare. Valuable lessons were learned according to Magee. “We were massively disappointed about the fact that we took the lead, going six points up, and then to lose it by five,” Magee says.
“It wasn't inexperience, just probably mistakes made in terms of fouling that cost us the game. They are obviously lessons to be learned. We were devastated not to get the win, but that is in the past. You park it, move on, and look forward to the next game.”
Magee, though, is looking forward to the upcoming matches against Cork and Galway. “They are very good teams, but at the same time we will relish the opportunity,” Magee responds.
“We played Cork in Newry a few years ago and we only lost by six points. That was massive for us, it was our first year up in senior. We will be aiming for the same, if not pushing for the win.”
Magee, who plays for the Liatroim Fontenoys club, believes that there is potential in Down to develop further in the coming years. “I would say we are in good health, we have made strides – massively,” she replies.
“Winning the Junior and Intermediate you can see we are making strides and progress.
“The amount of talent coming through, I would say Down is in safe hands. There is a lot of work that goes on in the development squads with the U16s. One fella from our club, Paul O'Shea, he takes the U16s at the moment.
Down's Dearbhla Magee in League action against Dublin at Croke Park last year.
“There is a massive amount of work put into them, they get their gear and everything. There is a lot of training and a lot of hard, hard work being put in. Down Camogie is in safe hands now and is in safe hands in the future.”
Retaining top tier status, though, is critical according to Magee, who knows all about the tough journey to reach that destination. “It is massive, a few people when we won the Intermediate back in 2020, they said we'd go back down,” Magee says.
“That is what people's instinct was with Down camogie. I think we have proved a point in the last three years, we have remained in senior. That is pivotal for us, staying up. It is massive for our development too.
“You have the U16s and minors looking up to you, they are seeing we are competing with Cork, Galway, and Kilkenny. That is massive to drive them on, to get them into the senior set-up. There is a lot of development coming through within the minors and U16s.
“I know personally in my club we have six in the U16 squad. The same with the U14. It is massive to stay in Division One. You don't want to be playing anywhere else. You want to play against the best.
“If that means taking a beating and understanding why you've lost I'd rather that than play in a lower division, it was massive to stay in Division One this year.”
Challenges certainly exist in Down. “I'd say we are the only county that has to compete with a Lough in the middle of us,” Magee explains.
“You have the Ards Peninsula; a lot of our players would come from there. Then you have a lot on the other side of Down. I think we are the only county that has to compete with a boat getting the girls to come across. That is massive.”
Still Magee is enthusiastic about a vibrant club scene in Down. “The standard in the clubs is huge,” she adds. “We have a Division One League every Wednesday night, it is very competitive. It splits with the top five and bottom five. So it gives everyone an opportunity to compete.
Dearbhla Magee in action during the 2018 All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie Final against Cork. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
“Within them matches the club players, who don't play for the county, are of a high standard, particularly when the clubs go into Ulster they are competing against Antrim and Derry teams, even into the All-Ireland too.
“Look at Clonduff, in terms of winning the Intermediate, they came back to win it which is massive, to do that twice in three years. Yes, Cork and Galway have a massive amount of clubs, but sometimes the smaller can be better. We are a very tight knit teams with a lot of good cohesion.
“Everyone has the craic and banter, it is very personal. We have a tight knit squad and that came from making the step up into senior too. Not that we never took it seriously, but we have that coolness, we are a group that is in this together. The smaller, the better, sometimes. You are pulling from a small area, but you are still getting the best players in the county.”
It is a commitment to operate in the senior inter-county ranks, but Magee thoroughly enjoys representing Down. “I wouldn't have it any other way,” she replies.
“You maybe have two or three weeks off in the winter, you'd be bored. You don't know what to do. I wouldn't even say I take a break, you go to the gym or go swimming, you do something because you are so used to that lifestyle. I don't know anything different.
“This is my ninth year on the Down squad, I stepped up when I was 16 years of age to play. I have been involved when they won the Junior and Intermediate, a dream would obviously be to win a Senior. I've played in all three.
“It is a way of life, you don't know any better, particularly my Mum and Dad. Mummy was a camóg for Down too, Dad played for the Down juniors too.
“You have just been brought up with it, you don't know any different. I was a 16 year old at one stage chomping at the bit to get on the senior panel. Yes, it is nearly a full-time job, along with your other job, but I wouldn't have it any other way.”