Growing Oaks – the Derry Ladies underage resurgence

DERRY won’t be in the shake-up for the All-Ireland Junior title next month, but shoots have been emerging at underage level to offer hope of a new beginning in the county.

It’s five years since they had the pulled a draw from the jaws of victory at Croke Park on All-Ireland Sunday before losing the replay in Clones.

The u-14 development squad lost a final to Westmeath two seasons ago, but this year’s group saw off Offaly to land All-Ireland honours for the county back in May, adding to their minor and u-16 success in Ulster last season.

Niamh Hasson hit 2-5 with Megan Brown chipping in with seven points in a commanding 3-20 to 2-7 win.

Paul Simpson (pictured right) is the Derry Ladies Development Officer and has been central to the success. The Doire Trasna man admits they’ve been “very lucky” to have a talented group at their disposal and feels there has been a change in fortunes in the county.

“The more we worked with that group, the more we could see them setting better and better,” Simpson began.

“A lot of them are dual players and they won the Ulster camogie as well. It tells you a lot of what is going on in clubs and there is a lot of work going in both camogie and football.

“Many of the main players in the football are good camogs as well. There is a correlation with their overall fitness and their attitude towards training.”

Simpson speaks of the “delight” at bringing a first All-Ireland title back to the county and the “fantastic” atmosphere after the final. He is full of praise for the players’ efforts and their dedication to developing themselves as the season went on.

STEERING INFLUENCE…Derry Ladies Development Officer Paul Simpson

“Also, the way parents interacted with it all was particularly pleasing,” he pointed out. “We have been putting in a big shift towards our squads and to see parents being thankful and gracious that is always reassuring.”

Their success comes after Derry picked up Ulster titles at u-16 and minor level with wins over Fermanagh that offered hope of the talent within the county, after getting to the All-Ireland u-14 final in 2019.

“We think it is good progress,” Simpson said. “We have had six Ulster finals in those two years in all the age groups so you wouldn’t say it is one particular group, but the pleasing thing with the u-14s was that it was a fresh group.

“We can see the progression,” said Simpson of last year’s u-16 team. “That’s going to be the group moving into minors and we feel that will be a strong group as well.

“On one hand it is nice that you can start afresh with a new group, but it’s pleasing to see that the majority (from earlier teams) are still there and prepared to work as hard and trying get on with the things we are trying to do – it certainly bodes well for the future.”

It’s a development step. The u-14 grade is a means to an end, with time for late developers to come to the fore by the time senior football comes on the horizon.

Action at underage level offers the chance for players to grow friendships alongside their sporting journey while mixing with the best other counties have to offer.”

“You have to try yourself against your peers and if it works for you, it will give you a boost. And if it doesn’t then it gives you something to work towards,” Simpson said about the underage scheme.

“It’s a benchmark of where you are at and where you need to be at. The girls have certainly bought into it and are happy enough to follow the programme we are trying to do.”

After winning the Bronze (Grade Three) Ulster titles at u-16 and minor level, Derry are up a level this season and reached both finals – losing both to Armagh. Derry came up short against Armagh at minor level and took the Orchard County u-16s to a replay before being edged out.

“That type of experience moving up the grades will stand to us going forward,” Simpson insists.

The u-14s lost a final to Tyrone last year. An earlier start this year and the inclusion of Ballymaguigan’s Ciaran McGuckin to the coaching side of things was a help.

“He had the experience of a few of the Ballymaguigan players and that certainly helped,” Simpson said. “Going forward, that’s the way we are going to be looking at in terms of looking at the personnel we use within the squads.”

THE DERRY GRLS…Celebrating the 2021 Ulster success

With the popularity of the game across the country, Simpson said it has “taken off” and that increases demands on personnel on top of the day to day organisation of fixtures.

The support of Derry GAA has helped with the use of facilities.

On the club scene, Glack are planning to begin at underage level with another club.

“In two years we have another six clubs playing football at u-13 and u-15 level…that’s a challenge in itself because the whole thing has exploded,” he said on the back of his own club Doire Trasna joining Ballinderry, Culmore and Greenlough as new teams.

“We are getting good intake and have a pathway for girls when they can’t play on the boys’ teams after u-12. They have somewhere to go if they don’t want to play camogie or both codes. We have noticed there is an appetite for it.”

The popularity is something Derry are feeling off and Simpson hails Teresa McKenna as the “best PRO in Ireland” for her efforts behind the scenes.

“She can promote it and the girls do get a good profile on social media and they want to be part of it.

“We also know schools football is strong for the boys and the girls are going that way as well, so overall a rising tide lifts all boats and it does create an appetite to be part of something.”

Another ingredient has been the streaming of games since the Covid-19 lockdown closed the gates on fans attending games.

Simpson can see the benefit it bring to the promotion of the game, with the live streaming of county and club games.

“We could see with the numbers that a huge amount of people who want to watch it. It is handy watching in that you don’t have to travel.

“It was so well done and so well presented with Alan (Gunn) on commentary and it was a great addition to what we were offering.”

The added advantage is the option it gives players to study their performances.

“It is new to a lot of them, so they can look back at elements like their positioning and their overall contribution to the game. It’s a great addition to what we do.”

There are now structures in place to churn out players to feed the senior teams of the future.

Simpson uses the example of Meath’s Emma Duggan having worn the senior jersey in her underage days before being part of their All-Ireland winning team in her first year out of the minor grade.

“When you look through the country and see some of the talent that is coming in from minor squads, you can’t really ignore that and that has to be the way everybody goes.

“In ladies sport, like the boys, when the players drift away around that 19, 20, 21 age-mark it is super important that we have a good squad coming through in terms of numbers more than anything else.”

Having squads with “over 30 players” is important to bring through a core group of players in the long term, with some making the initial breakthrough. Antrim manager Emma Kelly brought three 16-year-olds into the senior squad.

“Blaithin Bogue from Fermanagh is probably the most famous one, playing senior from she was 15,” Simpson added. “So there are certainly a lot of examples of young girls coming in and having an impact on the senior squads.”

HANDS UP FOR DERRY…Celebrating Ulster success for Derry

Another impact is the progress of the Derry men’s team who are on the cusp of an All-Ireland final under Rory Gallagher’s stewardship.

The run has brought Derry fans out in their droves and Simpson can see the benefits to the ladies game. He ties it in with LGFA’s ‘can’t see, can’t be’ promotion campaign directed at inspiring girls in sport.

“It is fantastic that the men are going well and they are not done yet. The big thing for us is to have an avenue for those girls to play.

“If somebody is going back to their club and they don’t have a football team at that age, there won’t be one too far away. Hopefully this continues and we can continue to provide an outlet,” he said, while applauding the support of their sponsors.

“We have had fantastic support from Mickey Loughran (GO) and from Damien Heron (Heron Brothers) they haven’t been found wanting.

“Overall, when you look at the big picture we are hopefully going in the right direction and we hope to be able to tie the thing together so we can provide these girls with the opportunities they deserve.”

Last year over 100 girls attended trials with a desire to represent Derry and u-14 level. With a title in the bag, Simpson is already looking to the future.

“In the last few years you can see the attendences going up in the ladies’ game. I think it an opportunity not only to build in the success of the men but to build on the progress of our own underage work.”

A new batch of Oaks now have a landscape to grow into.