PAULA MURRAY IS, and has been for the last number of years, a pillar of the Louth ladies football team.
She’s the focus of their attacking prowess, small in stature but an absolute handful to keep an eye on. Her ability to win all kinds of ball and her unerring accuracy has caused endless trouble for opponents through the years between both club and county.
And after captaining her side to the Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 4 final, Wicklow have been dealt the task of keeping the damage she inflicts to a minimum.
From watching her play, it’s blatantly obvious that it’s not solely a Gaelic football background she’s come from. Looking back through the years, it wasn’t her first love.
“I actually was more into soccer,” she explains to The42.
“I used to play U17 and U19 for Ireland. I dunno, I just fell in love with GAA. It’s crazy. Now it’s definitely number one.
“When I was playing soccer I loved it and like, I remember the buzz of it. We played Finland in Dublin one time, it was 2-1 and I scored the winning goal. The buzz was unreal.”
Murray still plays the odd bit at club level here and there but it’s been five or six years since she’s played soccer at the heights she once did, when her efforts were rewarded with the offer with a prestigious scholarship to America.
“I’m just such a home bird I couldn’t take it,” she grins, looking back. “I’d miss my Mammy too much!”
Imagine how different things would be if she had gone.
“Well, I wouldn’t be married to her,” she smiles. “So that’s good!”
She’s referring to her wife and team-mate Susan Byrne of course, another key pillar of the Louth team for the past number of years.
Their wedding seems like no time ago, Murray agrees, it’s hard to believe that they’re nearly a year married. Still playing away for both club and county though, and that’s the main thing she assures.
Murray is originally from Kells in Co Meath, while Byrne hails from Dunleer. They first crossed paths through football — ‘it was grand,’ she smiles — and never looked back. They’ve been plying their trade at St Kevin’s together for the last few years, and enjoying every moment.
“We’ve played together for about five years now with club, it’s great and with county it’s great as well. It’s very good.
“That said, there’s numerous fights but once you go off the pitch you just forget about it. It’s just during the match.”
There have been some special moments through the years on the field, with the highlight surely coming in Croke Park as Louth were crowned All-Ireland junior champions in 2015.
Both played starring roles on the day in the half-forward line, with Murray going on to be named Junior Player of the Year for that same campaign.
And with both in top form once again this year, there’s opportunity for another special moment with further national silverware for the taking in St Brendan’s Park Birr on Monday.
Louth are coming in on an upward curve, and their campaign in Division 4 to date has been quite a good one. There have been two losses — one to 2017 All-Ireland junior champions Fermanagh and the other to today’s opponents Wicklow — but an abundance of positive results including a 1-15 to 0-9 semi-final win over Limerick.
The Garden county have enjoyed an unbeaten campaign themselves and will be hoping to cap it all with some silverware and promotion to the higher grade after the 60 minutes of football later, but Murray is confident they can rain on their parade.
“We’ve had a really good campaign,” she continues, but keeps that five-point loss to Wicklow in her mind. Only two kicks of a ball though.
“We did lose two matches but they were off days. We did lose to Wicklow already and they are very strong but we have prepared well. We’ve done all we can to try and beat them on Monday
“We didn’t help ourselves. We got two sin-bins and you know, we were missing one of our stronger players as well. We’re hoping that those things we’ll get rid of and beat them. We’re very hopeful.
After that glorious day in Croke Park three years ago, many stalwarts of Louth ladies football hung up their boots. End on a high, as is said.
While Murray and her wife Byrne have stayed around, and are seeing the panel go from strength to strength of late with younger players making the transition up to the senior ranks.
Another boost this year has been the appointment of Micheal McKeown as manager.
“Micheal is very good and very positive. He loves a joke so he does and all the girls love that. At the end of each training session he nearly tells you a joke so it’s just really good for morale and everything.
“You know when he’s being serious as well, you need to knuckle down.
“We’re just trying to build. We’ve got great experience (on the panel) and then great youth coming up as well, it’s amazing.”
During the week the plan was to hit the road for Parnell Park yesterday and watch the Division 1 final between Dublin and Mayo and the second tier match-up of Cavan and Tipperary.
“Hopefully that’ll give me a bit of motivation for the next day,” she grins, hoping that the distraction may help settle the nerves.
“The four games that are going to be played will be great games. I think they’ll be really tight.”
Ladies football, after all, is on an upward curve.
“I actually can’t get over it in the last few years. Since Lidl have come on board it’s just been incredible.
“You go to work after you’ve played a match at the weekend and everyone’s asking you about it because they’ve seen it on social media or heard it on the radio. It’s amazing.”
She hopes that the meteoric rise will only continue. But for now, all her focus lies on Wicklow at 2pm, and the 60 minutes of football between Louth and another national title.
Another special moment.
“Everyone’s really looking forward to it. It’s exciting, it’s just brilliant. All the girls are ready to go.”
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