SATURDAY will be an historic day for camogie in both Donegal and Monaghan.
The Farney county have not had a senior side in 15 years while there is no record of Donegal entering a team at any stage in inter-county fare.
However, both teams are in Division 3B this season and are set to meet at 2pm on Saturday at a venue in Donegal, although no ground had been confirmed at the time of going to print.
St Eunan’s club member Eunan O’Donnell is in charge of the Donegal side and feels this is a significant step for the sport locally.
“The Camogie executive board are going through the history books and they haven’t have come across anything in the recent past anyway.
“It could be seventy years at this stage.
“But in living memory, we can’t seem to think of a senior team in a National League fixture as we have this week.
“We are up against Monaghan, Louth, and Mayo over the next three weekends.
“Louth and Mayo have been going a few years but they were keen to drop to a level where they could compete in.
“We will be up against it when facing these teams who have been in this position before.
“We are just learning as we go.”
Donegal have worked hard at underage level in recent times particularly at Under 16 and Minor grade but O’Donnell admits that it can be a challenge to keep all the best players involved.
“We have some very good clubs but it’s still hard to keep it going.
“To get 15 players on the pitch can be tough at times. It’s easier at soccer or basketball when you need less players.
“Kids these days have an awful lot of choice so we are just trying to make it attractive for girls to take up the sport.
“Having a senior team is an important step and young girls can look up to the players and see what they can aspire to with role models playing at senior level.”
Cormac Harnett (Dungloe), Ciaran O’Neill (Setanta), Debbie Curran (Burt), Chris English (Naomh Pádraig, Uisce Chaoin) and Martina Cullen (Markievicz) are all part of O’Donnell’s backroom team, and they had to get the project mobilised quite quickly in the new year.
“The girls have really bought into the training.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better start to the season.
“They have jumped in two feet and are becoming as professional as they can.
“It was only before Christmas that Croke Park finally announced that there was going to be a Division 3B so I think it was the fourth or fifth of January when we got things going.
“We held a couple of trials and got the panel down to 29 and we’re using those players now for the league stage.
“There will be a small junior Ulster competition and then there’s a national championship in the May/June period as well so it is a long enough season.
“We have some very young players from 18 and then we have players in their late thirties but the majority would be in their late twenties.
“Those girls have had their club camogie but it’s only a few months. They love their sport and want to keep at it.”
Donegal played Cavan Under 23s in a challenge game in Irvinestown two weeks ago and that has helped the management team to get a better look at their group.
Monaghan will not be easy opponents but O’Donnell and the side are looking forward to the match.
“It’s going to be a big day and we need all the support we can get.
“The Donegal hurlers are out the same day so it’s a good weekend of hurling and camogie in the county.”
Donegal Camogie panel: Eadaoin Whyte, Wendy Patterson, Ciara Coulter, Kara O’Neill, Alex Tourish Elaurza, Jessica Martin, Sinead Flood, Aimee Lafferty, Paige Rushe, Jane Kelly, Faragh Campbell, Mary O’Neill, Rebecca Whyte (all Markievicz), Teigan Duffy, Allannah Curran, Anna Polina Mallon, Zoe Whoriskey, Hannah McDermott (Burt), Sarah Jane Hartnett, Niamh Barr, Ella Kate Gillespie, Sinead McIntyre, Dairine Rushe, Laura Doherty, Siubhan O’Donnell, Aoibhin Randles, Sarah Lambe (St Eunan’s), Aoibhin Taylor (Carndonagh), Mollai Sharkey (Dungloe).
