A historic first for Donegal camogie this weekend

Donegal camogie is set to write a new chapter in the history of the game in Donegal this weekend when they face Monaghan in Division 3B of the National Camogie League.

The game, which is a home game for Donegal, is also a first ever outing for the county camogie senior team at national level. 

The game is timed for 12pm in Carndonagh.

“It is a big step for the county and a historic first for Donegal,” said the Donegal manager Eunan O’Donnell.

“It is something we have been arguing for with the camogie association in Croke Park for some time, along with a number of other counties, for a number of years.

“And we are delighted that after a lot of discussion, it is finally happening, and it was finally agreed before Christmas. It is a new Division 3B.”

The league is made up of four teams: Donegal, Monaghan, Mayo, and Louth, with a single round of games and the top two teams at the end of the league playing off in a Division 3B final.

Cormac Hartnett (Dungloe), Ciaran O'Neill (Markievicz), Deirdre Curran (Burt), Chris English (Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaoin), and Martina Cullen (Markievicz) complete the Donegal management. 

“The notice was short, but we had been doing a bit of work on the team before the decision was made to go ahead with the extra division in anticipation of it getting the thumbs up on it.

 “We have a squad of 29 players drawn from five clubs, Markievicz, St Eunans, Burt, Carndonagh, and Dungloe, and despite the weather and availability of pitches, we have been training twice a week since the first week in January.

“We have a good bit of work done, and the girls and all the management have given a good commitment, so all round we feel we are well prepared, and it is now a matter of playing games.”

The manager also reported they had brought on board a nutritionist and a sports psychologist, and that no stone was left unturned to give the girls every chance of giving a good account of themselves.  

As for goals, the manager stated they really had two goals, one short-term and one long-term.

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“Short term, we want to be competitive in all our games, and long term we want to create a culture in the county where young girls will see the county team playing and competing and hopefully being successful.

And it will show the young girls that they have something to aspire to and one day will play for the county team too.

“That is something we are lacking at the moment, and is one of the big reasons we have such a high drop-off rate after 16. Hopefully, having the senior team will reduce the large drop-off rate.” 

Donegal squad; Eadaoin Whyte, Wendy Patterson, Ciara Coulter, Kara O’Neill, Alex Elaurza, Jessica Martin, Sinead Flood, Aimee Lafferty, Paige Rushe, Jane Kelly, Faragh Campbell, Mary O’Neill, Rebecca Whyte (Markievicz), Teigan Duffy, Allannah Curran, Anna Polina Mallon, Zoe Whoriskey, Hannah McDermott (Burt), Niamh Barr, Ellakate Gillespie, Sinead McIntyre, Dairine Rushe, Laura Doherty, Siubhan O’Donnell, Aoibhin Randles, Sarah Lambe (St Eunans), Aoibhin Taylor (Carndonagh), Sara Jane Hartnett, Mollai Sharkey (Dungloe).