Druse ready for semi-final challenge

IN a team of star names, Emily Druse possibly slips in under the radar when it comes to Armagh. Blaithin and Aimee Mackin are the two standouts while Caroline O’Hanlon, Kelly Mallon and Clodagh McCambridge are other headline grabbers in the Orchard side.

Druse may not grab those same headlines, but ask any player what she brings to the side and they’ll be quick to provide an enthusiastic answer.

She broke into the team last season and has kept a tight grip on a starting jersey in the half-forward line ever since. Of Armagh’s 26 league and championship games over the past two years, the Armagh Harps youngster has featured in all 26.

Most of those have been from the off too, coming off the bench just three times, making her one of the most regular starters at the Orchard County’s disposal. Of those 26 appearances, she has lined out in two National League finals and two Ulster finals.

She wore the number ten shirt as Armagh captured the Division One National League title for the first time in their history back in April. They beat Kerry that day in Croke Park and it’s the Kingdom who stand in their way of an All-Ireland final spot this weekend.

“I think it’ll be just a totally different game,” said Druse, comparing Saturday’s upcoming semi-final in Tullamore to the league final, which Armagh won by three points in the end, 2-12 to 2-9.

“We obviously rely on Aimee (Mackin) a lot and she was brilliant in the league final, so I think we’ll have to play a different kind of football (in her absence). If we dig in and play as well as we did against Mayo, we can get over the line.

“We’ve played Kerry twice already (in the league), but championship football is a different game altogether. They’ll be up for it, and we’ll be just as up for it, so it’ll be an exciting challenge.

“They had a really difficult quarter-final as well against Meath, so they have a good rehearsal going into the semi-final. I feel like our quarter-final against Mayo was a great rehearsal for us too, so it’ll just all come down to the day.”

Relying on Aimee Mackin has perhaps been one of Armagh’s shortcomings in year’s gone by, but Gregory McGonigle’s ladies have dealt with her absence pretty well so far since her season was ended through an ACL injury.

Mackin limped off the field against Donegal in the Ulster final and the Orchard County captured the provincial crown after extra-time. In the group stages, they beat Meath and drew with Tipperary before reaching the last eight.

When Armagh defeated Mayo by six points the last day out, they did so without Mackin and Mallon, who both missed the game through injury, but had enough quality on the field to rack up a tally of 2-11.

“Obviously we were all apprehensive going into the game without two of our main shooters, but everyone else stepped up,” added Druse when quizzed on Armagh’s strength in depth.

“Eve Lavery had a brilliant performance, Blaithin Mackin was fantastic. Everyone contributing to the score sheet is brilliant because we do have big boots to fill.”

Druse started at wing half-forward when Armagh crashed out of the championship last season at the hands of Cork. It was a nip and tuck game, but the Rebels, who are in the other semi-final against Galway this year, just had a little more on the day.

In the previous three seasons, Armagh have crashed out of the All-Ireland series at the quarter-final stage, but they finally got over that last eight obstacle this year to qualify for the semi-finals for the first time since 2020.

“I was only here last year and we got beat by Cork in the quarter-finals, so it’s brilliant to get over that hurdle,” added Druse, who doesn’t carry the same baggage of losing quarter-finals as some of the older heads do.

“We were all obviously kind of worried that the Mayo game would be our last. You always have the worry that this is going to be your last match of the year and Saturday is going to be the same. So, I think we all really put 100 per cent in to get over the line the last day.

“We said in the past few games that we’ve been slow to start, and we didn’t want that to happen this time around because we knew Mayo were such a strong side and if they got a lead on us, we just didn’t want to be in that position.

“So, we just said go at it from the start and it was the same with the second half, our approach was just go at it from as soon as we get out on the pitch and make it work.”