BY RYAN FERRY
The Donegal senior camogie side are eyeing up improvement this Saturday as they head for the Connacht Centre of Excellence in Bekan to take on Mayo.
The Donegal side have only been up-and-running since early January and played their first competitive league match against Monaghan last week.
It didn’t go the way Donegal wanted but there were positives to take from the 6-6 to 4-6 defeat.
Mayo had a fine 3-11 to 1-10 victory over Louth in Darver so their confidence will be high.
Castlefin native Paige Rushe, who plays her club camogie with Markievicz, enjoyed her taste of action last week and is eagerly awaiting another outing on Saturday.
“The focus is on Mayo now,” Rushe told the Donegal News.
“We know that will be a good test.
“We will try and improve and get more scores on the scoreboard and see how we get on.
“We’re not wild sure what they will be like but it won’t be easy.”
Prior to the league opener, Donegal had just played one challenge game against Cavan Under 23s so they didn’t have a true gauge of where they were at.
Monaghan are also starting out once more after a 15-year break and there wasn’t much between the sides apart from the Farney’s ace attacker Marie Greenan who scored 5-3.
Despite the defeat, the mood in the Donegal camp was far from sombre.
Rushe said: “It was a great day out.
“We’re just glad to have the senior team back in the county.
“The result doesn’t really matter when you’re out enjoying yourself and having a bit of craic.”
She added: “The goals were tough but to be honest, we’re still just trying to get up to speed.
“We’re happy enough with how we played.
“They are a wee bit ahead of us but I think we will get there.
“We have been flat out training to be fair and you could see that.
“Everyone was dying to get on the ball and working hard for each other.
“There’s plenty of talent in the team.”
There is now a proper pathway to senior camogie in Donegal and 17-year-old Rushe says that is really encouraging.
“I think it’s so important,” the St Columba’s College, Stranorlar student commented.
“I’m still a minor and I’m lucky that the rule hasn’t changed for Donegal and I’m able to play up.
“I think it’s great for young girls in Donegal that there’s something to strive for.
“A lot of girls there for years were playing minor and Under 16 with the county and then there was just nothing.
“It’s great that seniors are there now for girls that want to play.”
