BY DÁIRE BONNAR
MARKIEVICZ Camogie club are hoping to win back the Donegal senior camogie title today as they take on Burt.
With just the four senior teams in Donegal, the four go straight into the semi-final and this year saw last year’s finalists meet in Convoy on Saturday night as Markievicz met Carndonagh.
The Inishowen side got the better of them in the decider 12 months ago to take their first title.
And that came as a bit of a shock as it denied Markievicz winning three in-a-row and joint-captain Amy Campbell admits that hurt the side, but it drove them on in the Centre of Excellence as they stormed to victory to win by double digits.
“Last year stayed with a lot of girls and playing Carndonagh at the weekend it was probably a lot of hurt that takes you over the line.
“It was tough going because we were in control for so long (last year) but we let it go at the end and they got a couple of goals.”
It’s a second year in charge for James Callaghan, who took over from Paul Campbell and it’s a second year as joint-captain for Campbell along with Ciara Coulter.
And they capped off a great league campaign in Donegal by going unbeaten on their way to becoming champions, while they also competed in the Tyrone Junior league.
“At the start of the year James said that we’re redeeming ourselves this year so we didn’t argue with him.
“But we’ve been out since January working away on and off the field then behind the scenes with speed work so a lot of work has been put in.
“We played in Tyrone this year and Derry the years before that, it was fairly competitive in every game so we took a lot from that.
“They have more teams and they’ve been going a lot longer at senior level so the standard is a bit better.
“There are so many girls on the bench that can take over that are just as good as the players on the pitch and it’s great to have that firepower, everyone is pushing each other on in training.
“You have the likes of Abigh McMenamin, Abbie McClintock and Cara O’Neill who are Under 16 then the whole way to late thirties and they bring a lot to the table with experience and they’re just as fit as fast as the rest.
“Ciara Coulter has been taking the frees for us and doing a lot of the scoring, Aimee Lafferty has been flying as well and Faragh Campbell has been very good the last couple of games, Sheila Martin was player of the match at the weekend but everyone is going very well.”
Burt are the opponents in this weekend’s final after their five point win over St Eunan’s in the semi-final and the pair meet back at the Centre of Excellence in Convoy on Saturday (throw-in 7pm).
Markievicz have beat them twice already this year, but there will be no complacency from the side represented by clubs all across the Finn Valley area.
“They’re a fit young team and they looked impressive against St Eunan’s at the weekend so we’ll not underestimate them, anything can happen on final day so we’ll not be expecting an easy game.
“They’re young compared to us but they’ve been in every underage final this year so they’re the team to beat at that level, they just wouldn’t have the senior final experience as such.
“But there is so much motivation from last year and this year so hopefully that’ll get us over the line.”
Markievicz panel: Margaret McConnell, Kathleen McGinty, Abigh McMenamin, Mary O’Neill, Amy Campbell, Jane Kelly, Síle Martin, Laura Browne, Sinead Flood, Alex Elaurza, Faragh Campbell, Aimeé Lafferty, Aoife Campbell, Ciara Coulter, Rebecca Whyte, Staice Gilmore, Jodie McGhee, Kara O’Neill, Emma Neeson, Alissah Cullen, Aibhé McMenamin, Abbie McClintock, Karina McMenamin, Naomh Harvey, Ellen Field, Eadaoin Whyte, Caitlin Callaghan, Aine Cullen, Shauna Bradley.
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