Deeney’s fit and firing as fall fails to stop Wicklow’s scoring machine
THE challenge of maintaining their fitness levels kept Meadhbh Deeney and her Wicklow team-mates on their toes during the spring lockdown. But after a horror biking accident in May, the Thomas Davis attacker is just thankful that she’s still around to line out in her side’s TG4 All-Ireland junior championship semi-final against Antrim tomorrow. ‘I’m so lucky I have all my teeth and both my eyes,’ said the 26-year-old. ‘I was mountain biking up in Kilpedder (in the Wicklow Mountains). It was a bad old fall. I really scratched up my face but I only have two small scars now. I took a chunk out of my knee too, but I’m fully back now, so I can’t really complain. ‘Thankfully I was wearing a helmet, and I probably wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t been. ‘It is very scary. I had no clue what was going on when it happened, so I think that was probably for the best. I didn’t even see the cut on my knee or anything. I had a concussion and everything, it was a really bad fall. ‘It was pretty tight for me coming back. I missed the first round of the club championship because of it. ‘That was a setback for me personally. It was a bit of a journey then to get back. Even now getting back on the bike...it’s been tough. I was doing the turbo trainer for ages just trying to work up to it. ‘I’m just delighted that I could get back in enough time to be okay for county.’ Following her move to Dublin club Thomas Davis from her native Éire Óg, Deeney has been in excellent form for Wicklow. It must have been a relief for
manager Mark Murnaghan to have her back in the fold in time for the Championship, and as joint top scorer with 2-10 after two games, he has a scoring weapon on his hands. Deeney won a TG4 AllIreland junior title back in 2011 alongside her sister Caoilfhionn, but the county had to plan without her for a five-year block since then. The talented attacker accepted a scholarship to play soccer with Savannah College Georgia in the US, where she studied Film and Television Production. Back in Ireland since 2018, the award-winning filmmaker has returned to the ladies’ football fold and has even managed to merge her love of film production with that of sport. ‘Playing in the US was brilliant. I left home when I was 18 and went over on a soccer scholarship for five years. I was a full-time athlete basically. We trained for at least two hours every day, we were doing weights, learning about nutrition and everything. It was a great experience. I had the time of my life.’ Tomorrow, Deeney will hope to help Wicklow back into the All-Ireland junior final for the first time since that win in 2011. Wicklow had been competing at the intermediate grade until their relegation last summer. And all focus is now on Antrim as the teams get set for a last-four clash at the home of Donaghmore-Ashbourne in Meath, a game that viewers can watch live on the LGFA Facebook Page. Deeney knows they face a tough challenge, following their recent wins over Carlow and Fermanagh. ‘We watched a bit of tape the other day, and that’s all we know about them at the minute. They will be dangerous, even watching the first few minutes against Derry I though they looked very strong. ‘I think everyone is really pushing hard and we’ll be going in with one thing in mind. We just want to come out on the good end of it.’