Dervla Higgins’ journey to the All-Ireland winners podium at Croke Park and the PwC Camogie All-Stars stage at the same venue has not been linear, but she is all the more appreciative of what has come her way for that.
You do not get too many robust markers –man-markers, as the girls call it themselves, Higgins included – earning PwC GPA Player of the Year nominations, but such were Higgins’ displays in nullifying opposition threats but also in setting the tone for a standard of stubbornness and refusal to take a backward step, that it was a given this year.
The result was her second All-Ireland medal, the first coming in 2021, when she had to deal with the stress of a sending off in the semi-final that was subsequently proven to be a case of mistaken identity before being cleared to play in the final.
And while she missed out on the POTY award to her teammate Aoife Donohue on Saturday night, she also picked up her second All-Star, the first not coming until last year.
Meanwhile, her year is still not over, with Athenry having dethroned history-making Sarsfields in the county final and relishing a tilt at further glory.
Surprisingly, given how she plays, being a human limpet was not Higgins’ default game. She was a midfielder before Manager of the Year, Cathal Murray, did his thing and identified a role that would turn the now 28-year-old into a star.
“I wouldn’t have been naturally a back all my life, but since Cathal Murray’s come in, he’s seen me more as a defender, and I have kind of morphed into that typical corner-back style of play.
“I love the challenge, when I go out and play any team, when management approaches me and gives me a name of someone that I might be man-marking on a particular day. I love that, because it’s between you and them, who’s going to come out on top, and you just have to apply yourself. I suppose the competitive side just comes out in you.
“It’s funny, management would always be laughing at me, because I’d always be itching to try and get a bit further out the field. But I have to admit it now, I love the corner-back style, the way the game is gone now, and I’ve learned so much about the position, and I’m kind of trying to strive in the physicality of it.”
Working as a gym instructor at the High Performance Unit in Loughrea complements that evolution. Playing alongside Shauna Healy and Sarah Dervan certainly provided a template, too, in her formative years.
Dervan retired a couple of years ago, but when Healy returned to the fold this season after having a baby, winning her third All-Ireland and fifth All-Star, it was like the band getting back together
In terms of attitude and style, they are mirror images of one another, and Higgins hails the Healy influence.
“You can learn so much from having the likes of Shauna around. She’s been a corner-back for years, and she’s a few All-Stars in her pocket. She’s your typical corner-back style. She’s hungry for ball. She gets out in front, and she’s not afraid to show a bit of physicality now and again as well.”
It was a feature of their performances, especially against Tipperary in the All-Ireland semi-final and then Cork in the decider. This isn’t croquet.
“The drills that we do, we do now in training, you’re marking top-class forwards. We’re lucky to have them inside in our camp. So when I’m going out and playing against the other teams, it doesn’t fear us too much because I know who I’ve been marking in our own camp at training. And the physicality that we bring amongst ourselves sets the standard of what we display then on match days.
“You’re only as good as your last session is what we always say. So if the intensity in training isn’t great, or if you’re not hands-on and being that bit physical, you’re not going to be able to turn it on on the day."
If Healy has been a role model for her in the Galway dressing room, there is one in the club who stands out above all.
Therese Donohue is one of the all-time greats of camogie, who finally won her All-Ireland medal in 2013. The aunt of Carrie Dolan, captain of this year’s champions, is, of course, best known as Therese Maher and has continued to return to the Athenry fold in between rearing her family with her husband, David.
And at the age of 45, she was on the bench when Athenry became county champions, having played a huge role as the club began rebuilding by reaching the All-Ireland intermediate final in March 2018, when Higgins was midfield.
“She’s still going. She’s some warrior. She’s there now for the enjoyment side of it, but she’s still just as competitive as ever and great for the young girls starting off their careers to be around and listen to the wise words she has to say. But she was no less hungry to get another county medal than ever.”
And judging by the Galway champions’ strike rate at the ultimate level, there could be more to come.
What did not make it onto the Higgins mantlepiece was the PwC GPA POTY award, but Higgins never even considered the possibility. Wing-back Laura Hayes picked up the honour last year, but while the Cork flier is a defender, attacking, scoring and setting up scores is a huge element of her game. Higgins comes from a very different sector that, though no less important than any other, goes invariably unheralded when it comes to profile and plaudits. To earn a nomination was as good as a win for her in that context.
“I was up last year, and I received my first All-Star last year. So to even get the nomination again, to be nominated for the second All-Star, I was delighted with that.
“To get in the top three and be nominated for Player of the Year, it’s something that I don’t think many athletes would probably envision too often. So I was delighted, and nine times out of ten, it’ll be your midfielders and forwards that we would normally get in that category. So to even represent the corner-backs is brilliant.”
No better woman.
