Setting the early tone key to Brídíní Óga season

By Michael McMullan

THE camogs of Brídíní Óga are one game away from Ulster glory but it was a journey that began on the right tone from the very first minute.

They face Derry champions Dungiven in this weekend’s Ulster Junior ‘A’ Championship final, but for ace attacker Torie Edgar, the stall was set out as early as the first meeting of the season with the management.

“Coming in at the start of the year, Dornie (Chris Dornan), Jason (Harris) and Ronan (Donnelly), it was a completely fresh set-up,” she said, “nobody had ties to anybody.

“It was a complete reset and everything started from a blank canvas. So, I suppose from the very start of the year, the work-rate has been pretty good.”

There has been the togetherness of being within a club and of winning county titles across football and hurling. Add in the hurlers’ preparation for Sunday’s semi-final and it has been a busy championship season in Glenravel.

After giving birth to her son, Edgar tried to juggle life as a parent and a dual player with her shifts as a nurse. Something had to give, so football was put on hold and it’s been full steam ahead with the small ball.

“Being a dual club, it’s tough because there’s such a massive overlap with dual players,” she said of the general lie of the land. “The communication between ladies’ football and camogie has made it even easier for both codes to do well.”

If a player needs to sit out a drill or take a night off, then so be it. Planning and balance is more important than cramming sessions with the risk of injury.

“I suppose we’ve matured a lot this year,” Edgar pointed out. “We seem to have realised that we’re not all superheroes.”

Another aspect has been the positive approach to life in the top league where they won more games than they lost.

“I think from that initial first Sunday afternoon, when we met the three fellas, they had such a massive drive and determination too,” she said.

“The front runners of Loughgiel, Dunloy and Cushendall can be tough, I suppose for any management team coming in, whenever you know that that’s the calibre of players you’re playing, they were determined that we weren’t just going to have another year that we just played camogie rather than competing.

“I think their motivation and even their organisation was important. We knew our plan for camogie a month in advance, so there was a lot of two-way communication.”

Looking ahead to Saturday and Dungiven, there is a focus at training and the necessary recovery away from the pitch.

There has also the hype that comes from having three codes vying for honours.

“The hurlers played this weekend and the ladies footballers have just obviously recently gone out,” Edgar said. “We’re still going. I think there’s a good bit of change from the team that went to the All-Ireland final a couple of years ago.

“The new girls are obviously buzzing to be involved in their first senior set-up as well as the maturity of the girls that have obviously been there and are used to finals,” she added.

“The girls coming on to the panel are well equipped to keeping their nerve and just focusing on the match. We’re trying to keep that as the main focus rather than playing to the occasion.”

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