It’s going to be very interesting being a winter championship: Lyndsey Davey

Dublin ladies footballer, Lyndsey Davey, has seen every side of the intercounty game, the highs and the lows.

The Skerries Harps star talked through her superb intercounty career, which has so far spanned over 15 years, in this week's episode (Episode 9) of 'The Hop Ball', the Dubs TV series, sponsored by AIG.

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Hosted by 2011 All-Ireland SFC winner, Eamon Fennell, Lyndsey reflected on her intercounty days, a career that began at senior level when she was just 14 years-of-age.

The former Dublin captain has been involved in the senior panel for nine All-Ireland finals - winning titles in 2010, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Lyndsey made her Dublin senior debut in 2004 against Donegal in an All-Ireland SFC quarter-final and has accumulated four All-Stars during her time in blue.

Over the course of the 47-minute interview Lyndsey looks back on her long, eventful Dublin career as well as her professional career in the fire brigade services while also giving great insight into both her personal and professional time during the coronavirus.

While enjoying more free time during lockdown the Skerries Harps player is eager to get back to competitive action but remains concerned about the chances of a second wave of the virus.

"I loved that side of the lockdown, just to do my own thing. It was only when I took a step back that I realised how manic my life has been in the last couple of years with football and work.

"And it's brilliant because we've been doing so well with Dublin and reaching the All-Ireland finals. The off-season is nearly as busy as the football season because you are constantly being asked to go to schools and do different training sessions, presenting, whatever.

"It's nearly as manic. So for football to be taken out of it completely and to be solely focused on work and when your shift is over to come off and go 'actually I'm not rushing off to do a training session'.

"It definitely gave me an insight into what it will be like when I do retire," added Lyndsey.

Professionally Lyndsey works with the Fire Brigade Services and her career has been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

"It's been a crazy time for me in the job. I actually work in Dublin Airport so we specialise in aviation emergencies but obviously since Covid kicked in aviation has been struck very hard. We would have gone from having a couple of hundred thousand passengers a day to only a few hundred. Obviously flights (numbers) dropped dramatically and only the only flights coming in were with cargo."

The RTE Investigates programme really brought the impact of Covid-19 home for Lyndsey.

"It really impacts on what some families have to go through. To think that a close one could have contracted it and passed away and then that you are not even able to see them," she says.

"That's why we need to keep it pup now with everyone playing their part."

One of Lyndsey's work colleagues is former Dublin senior footballer and senior selector for the past few years, Paul Clarke. The Whitehall Colmcille clubman is a good sounding board for Lyndsey as she strives for constant improvement as a footballer.

"He's someone who will always be very honest with you. 'Well you could've done this better. What about that?' He has so much experience and knowledge. I'm very lucky to be working with him on a daily basis."

Looking at her intercounty career with the Jackies Lynsdey says it came somewhat out of the blue!

"It all happened very quickly I suppose because at the time I'd been involved in Dublin setup since I was ten (with the Dublin U12 development squad) and kind of worked my way up through that."

Former Dublin senior goalkeeper John O'Leary has taken over as manager of the ladies team and was very aware of Lyndsey's ability having seen her in action regularly 't club level and he asked her to come on board.

"So it was absolutely chaotic. I was so intimidated by the setup. Oh God I'm only 14 years-of-age here. I am so out of my depth. And I remember ringing John, I think I was only a couple of weeks in and I was like 'Im just going to have to step away. I'm so intimidated, I think I just need to focus on my under-16 and minors'. So he said 'okay, fine'. "It was early in the year so he let me do that."

However, the phone rang again a few months later with the Dublin manager asking the young Skerries star to rejoin his senior panel.

"He called me back in ... 'I want you to come back in and give it another go' and I don't know what it was. I think some of the older girls were a bit more aware of how young I was ..... I think the girls were more mindful of my age and looking out for me."

Lyndsey discussed the role of players such as Martina Farell and Niamh McEvoy (Parnell's) during her formative years in the senior panel as well as the role of former manager Gregory McGonigle, current boss Mick Bohan and his management team which includes former Dublin defender Paul Casey.

The Jackies lost three All-Ireland finals in a row under the management of Gregory McGonigle (2014-2016) before Mick Bohan took charge and transformed their fortune on All-Ireland finals day to win the last three titles (2017-2019).

"Credit has to be given to Greg (McGonigle) as well - the first manager who would have secured DCU as our base. We lost three All-Ireland finals to a total of four points. So the smallest margins.

"So only something small that needed to be fixed. Mick (Bohan) came in and he just changed it around completely .... went back to basics .... just how he thinks about football ... look how well we've done under hime ... Mick has taken it to the next level."

Lyndsey refutes the suggestion that Dublin's support and sponsorships have been the reasons for the current success.

"We've fought for everything we've got and we've been fortunate with the quality of players we've got."

Because of the pandemic the Ladies SFC has been restructured. There was not going to be a Leinster SFC as Westmeath got demoted which left the Jackies as the only county operating at senior championship level.

"This year we were facing being the only team in Leinster (senior championship). We wouldn't have had a Leinster Championship, we would have just been straight into the All-Ireland phase. That could have had a massive impact on us going in but we know now as obviously the format has changed with the Covid.

"So everyone is on a level playing field. The other provinces are very competitive and would've had those extra couple of games so we would've been playing catch-up but Mick being the manager that he is he would have it managed well and had us in the right condition going into those games."

When once Cork were the standard-bearers for the Ladies game that high status is now held by Dublin.

"Teams are chasing us. There is so much competition in the senior championship."

Lyndsey looked ahead to the upcoming intercounty championship, under its new format, where the Dubs are pitted against Donegal and Waterford for the group phase.

Lyndsey has relations involved in the Waterford panel which will add to the significance of that game from a personal perspective.

"Two really tough games. I do feel we got one of the toughest groups .... It's going to be very interesting being a winter championship. Croke Park is a very difficult pitch to play when it's wet and then when a team is very defensive against you. We've all seen how tough that day was," adds Lyndsey with regard to last year's All-Ireland final victory over Galway (2-3 to 0-4).