Lauren Magee shares her thoughts on Sunday's big game ...
- Sep 21,2017
“It was heart breaking to lose it but I knew from our team coming through that there’s an All-Ireland in us”.
Dub's midfielder Lauren Magee shared her thoughts on Sunday's big game with Mayo with Jackie Cahill .....
LAUREN Magee sampled what it’s like to win an All-Ireland medal last year when she featured on the victorious Dublin team that stormed to U21 honours.
But the Kilmacud Crokes star reckons has her sights firmly set on landing a first senior title in Sunday’s TG4 final clash with Mayo at Croke Park.
Lauren’s father Johnny and Uncle Darren both wore the Sky Blue shirt with distinction during their playing days – and won All-Ireland club medals with Crokes.
Naturally, the family link is where Lauren’s love for football stems from, as she remembers watching her Dad training and playing when she was a young girl.
It took a while for the game to seep into her blood, Lauren admits, but she has made remarkable progress in recent years.
She made her senior championship debut in 2016, at 19 years of age, and was later pitched into her first final against Cork.
Unfortunately, it was a losing experience but Magee was never in any doubt about Dublin’s ability to bounce back and launch another assault on the Brendan Martin Cup.
She also had the U21 success for consolation but admits that winning a senior title would surpass anything achieved in football to date.
Magee’s in her third year of a Health and Society course at Dublin City University and on the Dublin team, she’s found a home for herself in the centre of the park.
At club level, she plays at centre back or midfield but in her underage days with Dublin, Magee operated at full-back, corner back and wing back, before switching to midfield during her second year as a minor.
She hasn’t looked back since and while Magee was absent for Dublin’s Leinster semi-final victory over Laois, she scored 1-1 in the provincial final win against Westmeath.
Dublin followed up with victories over Waterford and Kerry in the All-Ireland series to reach a fourth successive final.
And Magee believes that last year’s experience will help her to cope with any pre-match nerves.
“You don’t realise how loud it is until you get on the pitch,” she explains.
“Playing in Croke Park in front of that crowd was quite daunting – but a good experience.
“It was heartbreaking to lose it but I knew from our team coming through that there’s an All-Ireland in us.
“Never in my mind did I doubt that we’d be back there again and we’re well capable of winning one.
“I’m one of the younger ones on the team and this year, it was the goal and we’re back there now.
“I don’t think there would be a feeling like winning a senior title – in front of a big Croke Park crowd.”
But Magee is well aware of the challenge that lies in store against Mayo, who are back in the final for the first time in ten years.
She said: “The last few times we’ve clashed, there’s only been a kick of a ball between us.
“We beat them by a point in the All-Ireland semi-final last year and they beat us by a point in the League at Croke Park.
“It’s going to be a really tough match but we’re looking forward to it.”
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Tickets are on sale from tickets.ie, usual GAA ticket outlets and on the day from GAA ticket vans located around the stadium.