Five minutes with – Fermanagh’s Marita McDonald

Name: | Marita McDonald |
Age: | 31
Occupation: | Contract Manager

Teams played for:

Teemore, Brookeborough, Bredagh, Clan Na Gael Sydney, Garda Westmanstown, Castlebar Mitchel’s, Na Brideoga Camogie and Fermanagh Ladies. I’m not one for settling in one place!

If you were throwing a party and you could invite anyone in the world, dead or alive, who would you ask around?

The Falangees (they know who they are), Justin Bieber so he can see how well I dance to his tunes, Garth Brooks – to keep it country and
members of all the teams above – to really wreck the place.

Where do you like to go out to celebrate after a big victory?

Has to be Blakes of the Hollow in Enniskillen. Pat is our reliable sponsor and sure now and again he might throw us a few freebies after
the matches.

If you weren’t playing GAA what would you be at?

Watching every Netflix series out there and going on some summer holidays.

What’s the worst pitch you’ve ever played on?

There’s some serious contenders but I would have to say Lissan on a cold night! The temperatures are at least 4 degrees lower and if there
are hailstones, well it feels like someone is pelting you with tennis balls!

Which character in any film are you most like?

Melissa McCarthy in Heat – hot tempered, goes with her gut instinct and street smart! Pretty handy with a weapon too. Yep that’s me!

Any odd items in your kit bag?

Not really, but it doesn’t be emptied too often to check what foreign objects might be hiding! Roisin Gleeson is probably the only one who
knows what’s in her gear bag, well not so much Roisin, but her mother!!

What’s your preferred brand of gear?

Has to be Puma boots. Other than that I will happily take any freebies going and wear any brand! A new training top would be nice actually – haven’t got one in a while. All brands welcome to supply.

Who’s the biggest joker in the teams you play for?

Fermanagh Ladies: Aileen Moane.
Na Brideoga: Yvonne Byrne (when she turns up – she’s busy between the
posts this weather).
Mitchel’s: Kate Moore.

Which team mate has the best looking other half?

Jeez that’s a tough one. There are some fine specimens around – but suppose if I had to choose it would be Aine McGovern’s hubby. I think
it’s the Cavan accent!

Who is the worst trainer?

Causie – if there’s sprints, she’s stretching.

Who spends most time in front of the mirror in the dressing room?

Danni Maguire…. The HD brows have to be perfected! Followed closely by her sister Lisa – last out of any changing room after a game.

Who’s the best/worst person to share a room with on away trips?

Edel Campbell is the best, she’s usually fairly quiet, unless her tummy is playing up. Worst would be any of the rest of them, they don’t have consideration for my old age, need for intelligent conversation and beauty sleep.

Who’s the best/worst person to sit beside on the team bus?

Best would be Shauna Hamilton. She’s good for an auld chat and a bitta gossip.
Worst – probably Shauna Murphy (Smurf). She’s some head melt – you couldn’t get a word in edgeways.

Who has the best and who has the worst diet on the team, and what does it include?

The Moanes have the worst – sweets, chocolates, biscuits are not safe in their hands! They clear McDonald’s of McFlurrys at least once a
week. Aileen Moane has been known to carry jelly sweets in her pockets on the sidelines of Croke Park Best would probably be the rest of us!

Toughest opponent you have faced?

Cora Staunton at club … What can I say – that girl is strong (that was my thought process as I dragged myself up from the ground after
attempting to stop one of her runs). Kyla Trainor at county – we had many tussles, some she won, some she lost. I’ll always maintain I won
more though!

Best or worst quote you’ve heard, either from a manager, player, opponent?

Worst was probably at a camogie match – don’t bother looking up when hitting the ball, just strike it and get rid of it – move the problem
up the pitch! Best bit of advice is possibly the simplest “If we have the ball, they can’t score.”

Best manager you’ve ever played under?

Underage I played camogie under Declan Maguire and he was fantastic. It’s no wonder his two daughters are world champion golfers now. 2014 Fermanagh manager Lisa Woods was a great mentor, very organised and methodical in her approach to everything. The most professional set up I have played under.

Best ever performance?

2013 Ulster Final v Down in Derry playing wing back. It’s fairly bad when I have to go back three years to find a performance I am proud
of. Time to hang up the boots? Lol!

One to forget?

I’ve chosen to forget. Too recent to publish – but if you watch any highlights of our recent game v Down you will know what I am talking about!

When you were playing in the back garden, who did you pretend to be?

I was always Ryan Giggs, or Andrei Kanchelskis way back when GAA wasn’t as celeb like it is now. Nowadays when I am kicking around, I
like to think I am Sean Quigley or Barry Mulrone!

If there was a transfer market who’d be in and who’d be out of the team?

Sure I couldn’t throw any of them out!
If I could, I’d bring back Juliet Murphy from retirement, Sinead Burke Galway and Cora Staunton & Geraldine McLaughlin for a bitta shooting power!