
GAA
Share
Published 13:22 15 Mar 2019 GMT
Updated 13:34 15 Mar 2019 GMT
Explore more on these topics:
“We were delighted to win the O’Connor Cup, over the moon. All of the hard work paid off in the end,” said O’Donoghue. “It’s back to Kerry now and we are making great improvements there. The main thing at the moment is to get back to Division 1 and then we will look towards the championship after that.”A win on Saturday would be a huge boost for Kerry and O’Donoghue’s hopes of promotion back to the top flight after last year’s disastrous campaign ended in six defeats and one draw from seven games. Draws against Clare and Waterford in their first two games of this year’s Division 2 were not the return that they perhaps deserved, but victory over Laois and an extra game to play following the postponement of their recent clash with Wexford means they are still in the hunt. “I wouldn’t know much about Cavan really. They have got some good results so they will be a tough team to beat.
“We have three games played and I would have played the most part of all of them.
“We haven’t lost a game but obviously there are improvements to be made. We are taking each game at a time and trying to get the second win.”
Even though the former Republic of Ireland U-16 international has postponed her soccer career with Cork City, her weeks are still hectic.
The 18-year-old is in her first year of Engineering at UL and looks forward to switching to Biomedical Engineering down the line.
Her busy timetable takes up at least 25 hours of her week but she still finds time to grow her skill-set on the football field.
“I played with Cork City last year but I am not playing with them anymore. It was too hard to travel between Limerick, Cork and Kerry. It is just not really possible for me at the moment,” said O’Donoghue.
“Soccer and football are very different because the soccer is very tactical. Skills-wise, I don’t think you can take much from one to the other.
“Fitness is actually completely different as well. There is a lot of running in soccer, and you have to cover more ground. Football might be a bit more intense though.
“I just love playing football. Even if I have a spare hour or anything, I would go for a kickabout with Fiadhna Tagney and the girls. Just any chance I get really I would go kicking a ball.
“There would be a lot of gym work. I try to get there as often as possible. But I am probably more of a player to focus on the skills, with the kicking and that side of things.”
O’Donoghue was inspired to play football by her dad Sean, while her uncle Vincent O’Donoghue was an accomplished footballer too.
Mary Jo Curran and Nora Hallissey were O’Donoghue’s other idols, and they trained her on the way up, while Bernie Breen and Patrice Dennehy were other players she looked up to.
But winning back-to-back All-Irelands at U-16 level under Graham Shine built the confidence towards an awesome debut at Nowlan Park in Kilkenny, when O’Donoghue shot 1-4 on 12 August 2017.
“I don’t think anybody expected me to score that much,” said O’Donoghue.
“There was a bit of luck involved, it was a lovely day for a game anyway, ideal conditions and things just fell into place for me.
“Every game I just try and enjoy it because if you enjoy the football you are going to play better anyway.
“I just try to enjoy it as much as I can.”5 club games to watch out for this weekend in the GAA
Dublin SHC Quarter Final – Na Fianna v Cuala 📅 Sunday 28th September, 16:00 | 📍 Parnell Park Reigning Dublin, Leinster and All-Ireland champions Na Fianna are on a remarkable run. Five wins from five in the group stage – including key victories over Ballyboden St Enda’s and Lucan Sarsfields – underlining their status as […]
GAA
7 months ago
World Athletics to introduce mandatory sex tests for female competitions
President of World Athletics said the testing is ‘a really important way of providing confidence’. World Athletics is set to introduce mandatory testing for anyone entering female competitions, verifying their biological sex. The group have insisted it a ‘necessary step’ to protect women’s sport and address the gender eligibility issue. Two years ago, they banned […]
GAA
1 year ago
Mona McSharry wins bronze medal for Ireland
GAA