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All hail the inspirational Gir...

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All hail the inspirational Girls in Blue

98FM
98FM

04:33 28 Nov 2017


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It's rare we get a peek behind the curtain of an elite sports team these days but the 'Blue Sisters' documentary screened on RTE last night provided just that and it was a joy to watch (if you missed it, you'll get it on the RTE Player).

We are living in an age in which we never really get to know our gaelic sports stars due to the reluctance of inter-county and club managers to allow any meaningful interaction with the media.

When players do speak to GAA reporters, they say very little of interest in fear of letting the wrong thing slip.

So it was incredibly refreshing to get an insight into the women that have represented the county of Dublin so admirably over so many years, culminating in such a deserved success last September.

Every single player and member of the management team that spoke on the documentary, crafted so well by the people at Loosehorse TV, came across so well but special mention must be given to Nicole Owens and Sinead Finnegan.

I interviewed Owens last year and spoke to her about how she analyses various codes, whether it be rugby, soccer or hurling, in an effort to improve her own game and her passion for sport was infectious.

To hear the hardy forward speak so openly about dealing with depression, with the help of her Dublin manager Mick Bohan and her team-mates, was genuinely moving and, I would hope, inspirational for any young female or male that is dealing with the same issue.

It was also fantastic to her her reveal how she'd stick an elbow into some of the scornful boys she played against at underage level!

Finnegan spoke candidly and movingly about the loss and love of her Dad and how his passing affected her position within the team in the immediate aftermath.

Her Dad was the person who introduced her to gaelic games and to hear the Dubs defender talk about the praise he gave her, even after a bad game, would undoubtedly have struck a chord with anyone watching who has played any sport at any level with parents watching from the sideline.

Finnegan stepped away from the panel in 2010 after he passed and missed out on the Jackies' last All-Ireland success so it was lovely to see her finally get her hands on the Brendan Martin Cup, having soldiered in the trenches for so long with the Dubs.

The overriding theme though throughout the film was the camaraderie within this Dublin squad and how they leave everything out on the pitch for each other in every match they play.

The players put just as much effort in as their male counterparts and they make as many, if not more, sacrifices throughout the year to play the sport they love so much.

And there is no doubt that this panel are talented, dedicated and determined enough to make history next year in becoming the first Dublin women's team to win back-to-back All-Ireland Senior titles.


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