EIMEAR RYAN: Combining bouldness of youth with craftiness of experience

No one tells you about the good aspects of ageing in a sport, writes Eimear Ryan.

I have always played in the forwards, but lately I’ve been learning a new position: centre-back. Truth be told, I’m a little daunted by the crucial patch of grass between the 21 and the 45 that I now have to look after. I played my first competitive club camogie match of the year in early April, which was also my first time this year playing on grass. Up until recently, with pitches soggy and unplayable, we’ve been training on the astroturf. Forwards to backs, astro to grass: lately, everything is in a state of flux.

There’s a lot to be said for the astro. It’s a godsend in the depths of January when the pitch is a quagmire: it gives a taste of hard ground, a sniff of summer. It’s great for building fitness, and the sure surface is a psychological boost: rather than trying to get to grips with a sticky, heavy ball, the sliotar hops off the ground.