Representing college and county

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The giant of Irish sports journalism that was Con Houlihan once said: “I have great respect for people who go into the arena and seek glory while risking humiliation.” This goes some way towards describing my feelings about Trinity’s GAA players who so admirably balance their time between representing this university and their respective home counties in a sport demanding skill, mental determination and hard work in equal parts. Being selected to represent your county is no small achievement. Inter-county ladies’ football is played to the very highest level of this amateur sport. Competition is fierce. Demands are high. But love for the game drives those who manage to rise to country level. Trinity should be proud to call each of these players our own. Their dedication to a game, at times lacking the support it deserves, is commendable. I sat down with Trinity students and county players Amie Giles, Aine Haberlin, Caitriona Smith, Sarah McCaffrey,  Meabh Downey, Michelle Peel and Nicole Owens to talk about their experiences and thoughts on the game.

Amie Giles, SS Pharmacy

What position do you play?

Centre half back or fullback depending on the team.

What home club do you play for?

Coralstown Kinnegad

What is your favourite memory of playing with Trinity?

When I was in second year, we won the Lynch cup (Division 3, Colleges All Ireland). We had lost the final the year before and the older girls on the team had been trying to win it for a few years previously so it was an amazing feeling. We had a great bunch of girls who worked so hard for it all year so it felt great to reap the benefits. I can’t even describe the week of celebrations that followed – one of the best weeks of college life so far!

What has been your best moment playing for Westmeath?

Westmeath ladies won the intermediate All Ireland the year before I joined the senior team so firstly I’m raging I missed out on that. But since I started, we’ve gotten to the Division 2 league semi-final in 2013 and the final in 2014 so hopefully we’ll have another crack at it this year. My favourite moment, however, wouldn’t be in the league but probably my first time playing senior championship. I can’t even remember if we won or not but I recall just feeling delighted to be representing my club and county.

What are the demands of playing county football?

It is physically demanding. I remember after my very first core session with the seniors I came home and told my dad that I didn’t think I was cut out for this county stuff at all. But I think everyone can deal with this part of it because at the end of the day it’s more enjoyable playing when you are at your fittest. But what is most challenging is the time commitment. It’s absolutely great during the summer when you are finished college and at home – I’d always look forward to training. It can just be difficult, however, during the college term as you are trying to juggle a college course, three college training sessions per week, three county sessions and then a social life somewhere in between. The county league games all happen during the second term of the college year so almost every Sunday for a decent period involves travelling around the country playing matches.

Do you feel as though it’s worth it?

Yes, 100%. Even though I often complain about the amount of time I give to training or having to miss a few nights out when we’ve matches the next day or the following week, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’d probably crack up if I wasn’t playing. What’s more is that you’re playing as part of a team that are such good friends so that makes it worth it.

Is it ever difficult to balance playing college football with county football?

It is impossible to be in two places at once and to keep everyone happy. During the college term I would always generally make it home for two out of say three county sessions per week. I’ve been lucky though that my managers and the girls I’m playing alongside over the last two years with both college and county were always every understanding and took into account that even when you didn’t make their training you were still training hard elsewhere.

How is confidence in the Trinity squad at the minute for the coming season?

The year has gotten off to a great start with the introduction of our new manager Davy Burke and his selector Jonathan Burke. Games are improving all the time and everyone is giving 100% in training. Ultimately, we want to win the Giles cup (Division 2, All Ireland College Championship). Not only do we have a bunch of really talented players but we have a desire to win. From the final years point of view, there are a lot of us for whom this will be our last year playing college football and, having experienced the feeling of winning in second year, it would mean the world to us if we could do it again.

What are Westmeath’s hopes for the coming season?

This year, there will be new management so this means everyone will have to start from scratch and prove themselves which is always a good thing as it creates healthy competition for places. A huge aim this year will be to win the Division 2 league. Since we play senior in championship, we really need to be playing Division 1 football earlier in the year during the league in order to be able to compete with the likes of the Dublin and Corks of this world when the championship comes around. I was away playing football in San Francisco this summer so I missed the championship but the girls were only knocked out of the championship by Mayo after being beaten by only a point. This is a huge improvement from the previous year so I hope we can push on from there.

Do you think that lazy stereotypes still exist for girls playing sport at a high level?

Well if it does still exist I honestly don’t pay any notice. At the end of the day, anyone who plays Gaelic football does so because they love the sport. If it so happens in the process that you are lucky enough to get to play at a high level and represent your club, county and college, then it is just a bonus.

How do you think that support could be increased for ladies football?

Anyone who really watches high level ladies’ football can’t deny the fact that many of the women are just as skilful as men. However, men’s games are obviously more physical, intense and have a faster pace so it stands to reason they will get a better following. This is an inherent fact which isn’t something to be addressed. But the case for ladies’ football is not helped by the severe lack of funding and promotion received by the ladies. No comparison can be made between the treatment that men and women’s county teams receive. Having said that, I do think the promotion of ladies’ football and camogie is improving with the likes of TG4 showing good coverage of games.

How would you describe the bond that exists between you and your team mates?

Some of my best friends are ones I’ve met through playing football. Part of the reason I love going to trainings, away to matches and so forth is because we have such fun. We have gone through the highs of winning and losing together, pains of training together and not to forget the nights out – our college team motto is “teams that drink together win together”! We have a tight bond which is hard to put into words until you are part of it.

What would you most like to achieve as a footballer and athlete?

Ideally, I’d love to play in an All Ireland in Croke Park, or any match in Croke Park for that matter! In terms of college football, as a final year I would leave Trinity a happy woman if we won the college Giles cup this year! As an athlete, I used to do long distance running at a high level and would really like to complete a marathon someday.

Do you have a role model in football?

I can think of a lot of girls I’ve played alongside that I look up to and the common denominator between all of them was work rate. I don’t rate skilled players who are lazy as I think it is an awful waste of talent. Instead, I have respect for any player who works hard, has a never say die attitude and always gives their best.

Aine Haberlin, SF Law

What position do you play?

Midfield

What home club do you play for?

St. Conleth’s

What is your favourite memory of playing with Trinity?

It has to be the bus home from Jordanstown this year after winning one of our league games. We must have sang the whole way home (well I know I did anyway). It was great craic altogether. I really felt sorry for the management and anyone else who was listening – I’m sure we were a bit pitchy to say the least.

What has been your best moment playing for Laois?

Winning an All-Ireland with the minors in 2013 definitely has to be the best moment. It was such a close game and when the final whistle went, it was just unbelievable to be on the winning end of the result. It’s a moment I’ll always remember. Everyone just rushing onto the field. To celebrate it with my teammates, friends from home and family on the pitch directly after the game was such a great feeling.

What are the demands of playing county football?

It means training three times a week and then you’re also missing club trainings which is difficult. It’s hard as well to have the same social life as your friends. Every bank holiday during the summer, all of my friends would be going out on the Sunday and I always seemed to have a match on the following Monday, so going out the night before was unthinkable. You just have to keep saying to yourself that all these sacrifices will pay off. It’s not a big sacrifice really as long as you have friends who understand what inter-county football means!

Is it ever difficult to balance playing college football with county football?

I think it really depends on the county manager. I’ve heard of some managers getting the college girls to come back home for midweek trainings, which is hard. This year, our manager knew we were playing football up in college during the week so the two sessions at the weekend would be the ones that we’d get to. If you were to come home during the week for county, then you’d have to sacrifice your college football, which is not really that fair. Overall, I think the college football this year will complement the county, or at least I hope so. It would be great to be ahead on some core and conditioning so you wouldn’t feel it as hard once the county football starts up. The more football you get in, the better you will be. Just as long as you don’t get injured.

How is confidence in the Trinity squad at the minute for the coming season?

There is a really positive atmosphere this year in the squad. We are all getting along really well and the influx of the new first years has helped strengthen the squad up. We have done well in the league so far but our eyes are set on the Giles cup and I really think we have a solid chance. The management are positive and hardworking, which makes the players want to put extra effort in too.

What are Laois’s hopes for the coming season?

The championship during the summer was full of ups and downs. We got to the Leinster final but unfortunately it didn’t work out for us. We can’t focus on what went wrong last year so we are going to drive forward this year and put in a solid performance in the league. To hopefully make it to the Leinster final and win it would be an objective for this year.

Do you think that lazy stereotypes still exist for girls playing sport at a high level?

No, not at all, and if they were to exist I don’t think any reasonable person would take them seriously, to be honest. The whole nation knows the capabilities of female athletes and takes them just as seriously as male athletes. Obviously, Katie Taylor is the prime example and it’s great to have her blazing the way for women in sport. I do find that that some of my male counterparts are surprised when I say I play football and you get the occasional “girls, playing football?” comment, but it doesn’t bother me. Anyone who knows football would never say that. I think the whole stigma has kind of died off. The younger girls in my club just think it’s a normal part of growing up to play it – just as they would be into Irish dancing or whatever.

How do you think that support could be increased for ladies’ football?

It’s difficult to say, this question has been so prevalent in the promotion of ladies’ football for the past few years and to be honest I don’t know why there isn’t the same interest in it as in men’s football. If anyone was to watch the All-Ireland this year, they would see just how entertaining and genuinely enjoyable a match is to watch – unless you were from either of the teams playing; then it just would have stressful. But it is a problem and it’s annoying to not have the same recognition as the men, even when we put in an equal amount of work.

How would you describe the bond that exists between you and your team mates?

What strengthens the bond are the 7am gym sessions for sure. We all suffer together as one and I think that’s what brings us closer together. Just looking around at everyone’s faces after the session is hilarious but, to be honest, I’m not one to talk. I’m usually conked out on the floor by the end of it.

What would you most like to achieve as a footballer and a female athlete?

To win an All-Ireland is always the ultimate goal.

Do you have a role model in football?

I’d say Juliet Murphy from Cork would be someone I’d look up to as one of the best midfielders I’ve ever seen. Her determination and drive are what make her stand out. She has won so many All-Irelands and has five All-Stars. It’s something to aspire to anyway.

Caitriona Smith, SS Occupational Therapy

What position do you play?

Corner forward

What home club do you play for?

Killygarry

What has been your best moment playing with Trinity?

Winning the Lynch cup when we were in second year.

What has been your best moment playing for Cavan?

Winning the intermediate All-Ireland in Croke Park in 2013.

What are the demands of playing county football?

It’s quite time consuming. It can take up a lot of your weekends with trainings on Fridays and Sundays. Then when the league starts, most games are on Sundays and you could be playing anywhere.

Do you feel as though it’s worth it?

It definitely is when you’re winning. When you lose a few games in a row it can be hard to see why you’re putting in so much time. But definitely when you’re doing well and things are going right it’s well worth it.

What are Cavan’s hopes for the coming season?

This year, we have new management so we’ll be hoping to push on from last year. This year is just our second year as a senior team so we’ll see how it goes.

How do you think that support could be increased for ladies football?

I’m not really sure. It is slowly increasing and there definitely is more media coverage of it which is definitely helping.

How would you describe the bond that exists between you and your team mates?

There is a great bond in Trinity ladies. We are a very close team both on and off the field. We definitely take it seriously but there is room for the odd night out of course.

What would you most like to achieve as a footballer and a female athlete?

Just try and win as many competitions as possible whether that be club, college or county.

Sarah McCaffrey, SF TSM French and Psychology 

What position do you play?

Midfield

What home club do you play for?

Clontarf

What has been your favourite memory of playing with Trinity?

The bonding sessions.

What has been your best moment playing for Dublin?

Winning the under-21 All-Ireland final in 2014.

It must have been heartbreaking to have lost out to Cork so narrowly in the All Ireland final. As a squad, how do you move on from that mentally?

Yeah, it was. I don’t think any of us are over it yet, but we’ll just have to regroup and use it as a driving force for next year.

What makes Dublin such a formidable side?

I think the intensity that is brought to everything we do, on and off the pitch, is unique to Dublin.

Is it ever difficult to balance playing college football with county football?

Not really. The managers are great. They make sure we keep them in the loop and that we aren’t overtrained. Obviously juggling college work, training and in some cases a part-time job is hard, but it’s worth it.

Do you think that lazy stereotypes still exist for girls playing sport at a high level?

I don’t think so. There seems to be a new emphasis on fitness in general nowadays among girls so I think people respect women as elite sports players.

How do you think that support could be increased for ladies’ football?

Maybe with increased media coverage and more supporters at matches if possible.

How would you describe the experience of playing in an All-Ireland final?

It was an experience I’ll never forget. I think any of us who had never been there before would have learned from it. Hopefully, next year, we’ll drive on and be able to make up for this year’s loss.

How would you describe the bond that exists between you and your team mates?

There’s a brilliant atmosphere within the Trinity team at the minute. We all get on really well and look forward to training sessions – which is sometimes (or often) hard to do when they are at 7am.

Meabh Downey, JS Pharmacy

What position do you play?

Wing half forward

What home club do you play for?

Na Fianna, Co. Meath

What has been your best moment playing for Meath?

Reaching the All-Ireland under-21 final in 2014.

What are the demands of playing county football?

Although playing with the Meath senior ladies is probably not as time-consuming as playing with some of the other counties, it does come with some demands. There is training two or three times during the week and once at the weekend. It usually takes 30 minutes or more to get to training from home. On days when there are games on, it can take the entire day, depending on how far you have to travel. And, of course, playing any sport at a high level also has an impact on your social life!

Do you feel as though it’s worth it?

When I have to train in the freezing cold or in the pouring rain, it’s hard to remember why I bother when I would much rather be anywhere else in the world than on a GAA pitch. But on the big days, championship game days, Leinster final days, All-Ireland final days, all the effort that was put in is definitely worth it.

Is it ever difficult to balance playing college football with county football?

Last year, I found it very difficult to balance college and county football as there was very little compromise between the two management teams. My county manager expected me to put Meath football first, while the college manager expected me to put college football first. As a result of trying to please both, I ended up training at least five if not six times a week. This year both teams have new managers so I am hoping a more cooperative approach will be taken.

How is confidence in the Trinity squad at the minute for the coming season?

Confidence is very high among the Trinity panel for the coming season. Compared to last year, there seems to be a lot more drive and motivation among both players and management to succeed.  There is real competition for places and as a result the intensity at training is always very high.

What are Meath’s hopes for the coming season?

The hope for Meath this year, as it seems to be most years, is to gain promotion from Division 2 and win a Leinster final. Realistically, at the moment, winning a Leinster final does not seem achievable as Dublin are, and have been for a number of years, on a level totally above the rest of Leinster. When I hear of the training that the Dublin panel is doing and compare it with the training we do, the gap is enormous.

Do you think that lazy stereotypes still exist for girls playing sport at a high level?

I think that society has progressed to a point that girls playing sport at a high level are recognised, perhaps not to the same extent as their male counterparts, and are respected for the time and effort they dedicate to the sport. There are still those, however, who will use stereotypical descriptions to label girls playing sport, but unfortunately there will always be some ignorant people in society.

How do you think that support could be increased for ladies’ football?

I think it is important that the girls support each other. If we don’t support ladies’ football ourselves by going to matches, how can we expect others to support the sport? I also think that the prices charged in to see ladies’ football games should be reduced. I know in my own county, the cost of attending some of the club games is far too high, which results in people being put off supporting ladies football. In an ideal world, there would also be more televised ladies’ football games.

How would you describe the bond that exists between you and your team mates (especially in Trinity)?

When you spend so much time with the same group of girls, a real sense of camaraderie always develops within a team. In Trinity, I think this bond is especially strong, as we only have the opportunity to play with each other for a very short period of time (three or four years) and we really want to make the most of it.

Do you have a role model in football?

Fiona McHale, the Mayo player.

Michelle Peel, SF Occupational Therapy

What position do you play?

That changes a fair bit, but mostly centre half back.

What home club do you play for?

Donaghmore/Ashbourne

What is your favourite memory of playing with Trinity?

The bonding nights out were great craic.

What has been your best moment playing for Meath?

My favourite moment was last year when we got to the under-21 All-Ireland final against Dublin. Now the result is a different story, thanks to McCaff and Nicole. But the lead up was so exciting and we were so determined to win it. We did so much preparation for it, like heading to the beach, going to the pubs getting bags of ice for the ice baths and the night out after even without the cup was a great finish to it all.

What are the demands of playing county football?

The demands are high. It’s generally three trainings a week and you’re trying to eat healthy for it with the occasional drinking ban thrown in. It can be really hard to keep the motivation up year after year but wanting to beat Dublin helps.

Do you feel as though it’s worth it?

It’s so worth it for the big matches  and the girls on the team are some of your best friends, so as much as I might complain about going to training especially in the dark dull winter nights I’d miss it too much if I stopped.

Is it ever difficult to balance playing college football with county football?

It can be hard because you just don’t seem to have any free evenings but preference for each team is at different times of the year so you can focus more on each of them at different times

How is confidence in the Trinity squad at the minute for the coming season?

We are pretty confident as the team bond is strong on and off the pitch. This makes such a difference in the parts of the match where everyone is so tired. But you don’t want to stop, because not only are you doing it for yourself but also for the girl beside you. We have done about a kilometre of bear crawls at this stage so we are all putting in such an effort. As our coach Davy always says, “Trinity Ladies are the hardest working team in Giles”.

What are Meath’s hopes for the coming season?

We have a new manager, Diane O’Hora, coming in, who is a former All-Ireland winning captain with Mayo and has had plenty of experience coaching, so we’re looking forward to seeing what she has to bring.   A huge goal is to get to and win the under-21 All-Ireland final this year and do ourselves much more justice than our league and especially championship campaign last year for senior.

How would you describe the bond that exists between you and your team mates?

I have made lifelong friends from all the teams I have played with and the bond in Trinity this year is so strong. We all get along so well, from helping each other to get up for the 7am trainings and surviving the ugly sprints. Coppers is where the friendships are truly formed.

What would you most like to achieve as a footballer and athlete?

This year I need to win at least one final. I can’t even count how many times I have been runner up. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride!

Do you have a role model in football?

The Cork team in general. I wouldn’t be able to pick one player from it but they never give up as you could see in the ladies’ final this year.

Nicole Owens, SS TSM Spanish and Sociology

What position do you play?

Corner forward

What home club do you play for?

St. Sylvesters

What has been your best moment playing for Dublin?

Reaching an All-Ireland final

What makes Dublin such a great team?

The depth of the squad and the back room team, which allow us to prepare to the fullest for every game.

What are the demands of playing county football?

They’re both physical and mental. From getting up early on a Sunday morning and the constant sore muscles, to missing nights out with friends.

Do you feel as though it’s worth it?

In the end, it is.

Is it ever difficult to balance playing college football with county football?

Managers tend to understand that there’s a need for a balance or players will get burnt out, so thankfully it isn’t too difficult.

How is confidence in the Trinity squad at the minute for the coming season?

I think it’s pretty high. We have a great new manager and there are a lot of final years like myself who are determined to go out on a high.

Do you think that lazy stereotypes still exist for girls playing sport at a high level?

Of course.

How do you think that support could be increased for ladies football?

By increasing knowledge and visibility of ladies’ games, not just the final.

How would you describe the experience of playing in an All-Ireland final?

It was unbelievable.

How would you describe the bond that exists between you and your team mates (especially in Trinity)?

I would say that there’s a great amount of camaraderie between all the players on the Trinity team. We all suffer through 7am gym sessions and soaking wet cold training so it would be hard not to develop some sort of bond.

What would you most like to achieve as a footballer and athlete?

A senior All-Ireland, obviously, but it would be nice to achieve some of the recognition and support that the male county players receive.

Do you have a role model in football?

It’s tough to pick one role model from all of  the great teams I’ve been lucky enough to play on, but I guess from the current Dublin team it would have to be Sinead Goldrick, just for her tenacity and complete athleticism.

 Photo by Huda Awan. From left to right: Meabh Downey, Nicole Owens, Aine Haberlin, Michelle Peel, Sarah McCaffrey and Amie Giles.