Hurling & Camogie

Securing senior status topped all of Down's 2021 achievements say manager Dunne

Down manager Derek Dunne believes they have the capability to make the knock-out stages of the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship next year
Down manager Derek Dunne believes they have the capability to make the knock-out stages of the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship next year Down manager Derek Dunne believes they have the capability to make the knock-out stages of the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship next year

IT HAS been a season like no other for Derek Dunne and the Down camogie team.

They have collected the National League Division Two and Ulster senior championship titles, but Saturday’s 1-17 to 2-4 win over Westmeath in Inniskeen topped those achievements even though there was no trophy to celebrate.

The victory means that Down will be in the 2022 All-Ireland senior championship and that was their aim for the season.

Dunne was more than pleased with the outcome.

“[The Westmeath game] was the first time since the Waterford game that we had everyone available to play. When you are running with a small enough panel of players like us, it is vital you have everyone there," he said.

“Looking back we were just a couple of scores off a knock-out spot. Wexford and Waterford were in the quarter-finals at the weekend. We beat Wexford in the league and we were four points up down in Waterford entering the home straight when Sara Louise (Graffin) picked up the injury and had to come off.

“Had we won there, we probably would have beaten Dublin in the last group game. That was our fourth game in four weeks and we were tired. Another game we lost by a point. But as I said, we hadn’t all the experienced players after Waterford until now against Westmeath.

“Sara Louise probably still isn’t fit from that game, but has been playing. Then we lost Paula O’Hagan, a huge presence in the middle of the field.

“Last year when Fionnuala (Carr) retired, Karen McMullan took over as a really commanding centre-half back. Then she had to miss the Offaly game and that unhinged us at the back.

Sorcha McCartan is based in Cork and hadn’t attended midweek training with the squad since the Ulster final in early July up until last Thursday, something else Dunne has had to contend with.

“That is very difficult to work around. At this level you are looking at team tactics, changing things depending on the teams you are playing, working on movement, positions of players, playing ball up lines,” explained the Laois native.

“When someone is missing, that can’t be done effectively. Sorcha was there on Thursday night though and took on board what we were looking for and played well today.”

Down scored 2-71 over the five games in the senior championship and Niamh Mallon accounted for 1-44 of that, a phenomenal return given that she was often double-marked and dealing with a sweeper in front of her. She hit 10 points against Westmeath, three of those from frees.

“There were questions about whether Niamh could play against the top defenders. There aren’t any questions now. She can’t be stopped and she has proven herself against the best," Dunne said.

Looking towards next year, Dunne is hoping to pick up another couple of players from the club championship that begins next month.

“Yeah, I think there are a few players around the county that has the talent to make it into the team. We would like to talk to them, give them a programme to follow over the winter and see what they can offer in the spring.

“I firmly believe we can make the knock-out stages next year and finding another player or two could make a big difference.

“It has been a tough season for us. We couldn’t play any challenge games to try things out because we were playing almost every week. Those things had to be done at training.

“We tried a couple of things in the first league match and Antrim beat us. With a bit more time between games, you can try things, but Covid has limited what changes we can make.”

Looking around at the other results, Dunne is not surprised that the Ulster teams are doing well.

“Antrim have kept paced with us since last autumn. Having a semi-final against Galway is a tough draw, but you would rather play them in a semi-final than face them in Croke Park when you would have their seniors playing and plenty of support.

“I thought Derry might have got through at the weekend. They have brilliant players, they just need to get things right on the day.

“Armagh are still going at Junior level and Tyrone in the Nancy Murray final. It’s all good for Ulster camogie.”