Hurling & Camogie

League losses won't hold back either Down or Antrim: Dearbhla Magee

Dearbhla Magee, of Down and Liatroim Fontenoys. 
Dearbhla Magee, of Down and Liatroim Fontenoys.  Dearbhla Magee, of Down and Liatroim Fontenoys. 

Ulster Senior Championship final: Down v Antrim (Saturday, 12.30pm in Edendork)

THE last league game both Down and Antrim played was in Croke Park. Antrim lost the Division Two league final there after a poor start, while Down simply couldn't get out of the lower gears in their Division One group game against Dublin.

There seemed to be a fall-out from that Dublin game when Down played Derry in Sunday's Ulster semi-final in Castledawson with extra time needed to separate the teams.

Down defender Dearbhla Magee however doesn't believe past games have much bearing on the next one to be played.

"No, I don't think a game last week, last month or even last year means anything in terms of the next game. It is really how teams play on the day, who is the hungrier team and who wants to win it most. It is all about the performance on the day."

"I think it took us a wee while to find our feet against Derry on Sunday. But I think we came through stronger in the second half once we got going and our experience pulled us through in the end.

"I don't think we ever had doubts in our mind that we wouldn't get through. It was really a matter of when we would start putting the scores on the board," claimed Magee, a PE teacher in Aquinas Grammar on the Ravenhill Road.

"Fair play to Derry. They have improved a lot since the last time we played them. But thank goodness we are still beating them.

"When I came through to play senior county a few years ago, Derry was the top team and it didn't matter how well we played, we just couldn't get past them. So in a way the coin has flipped."

With Derry bringing a player back to play sweeper in front of Niamh Mallon, Magee found herself as the free player in the Down defence and she enjoyed the space she got further out from her own goals.

"I really enjoy the role I ended up with on Sunday. It was a bit like a sweeper. It gave me a lot more freedom in terms of running the lines than being stuck in full-back where I have been for the past while. It is nice to get out beyond the 45, get more involved in the game and deliver into the forward line. It is something different and I liked it."

When Down beat Derry in Páirc Esler in 2018 to claim their first title in 15 years, Derry had won five of the previous six titles. The Mourne county has kept a tight grip on the silverware since then and are hoping to put their name on the trophy for the 20th time.

"Antrim and ourselves have been big rivals for the past few years. They came pretty close to us last year in the league final and Ulster final and we haven't played them since.

"Everyone has talked about the pace in their forward line when they won in Croke Park. But we have a lot of pace in our defence as well. So the final should be another good game.

"But, as I said at the start …. The team that wants the win most will win it."