Cliodhna O'Connor: I'd love to be playing now with nutrition and sport science advances

She is now involved as a coach with the Dublin senior team as well as their hurlers and in a change of sport is also involved with the Irish women's hockey development squad

Cliodhna O'Connor was speaking as the Ladies Gaelic Football Association announced ZuCar as the association’s official Performance Partner. A four-year arrangement will also see the LGFA introduce the ZuCar Golden Boot and ZuCar Golden Glove awards. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Cliodhna O'Connor wishes she could roll back the clock and instead of coaching, be between the posts for Dublin ladies footballers at the moment.

O'Connor is now involved as a coach with the Dublin senior team as well as their hurlers and in a change of sport is also involved with the Irish women's hockey development squad.

Looking back at her time playing, she said: “I think when I was playing we never wanted for anything, we had access to everything we needed at the time in terms of support structures. But I do think the standard of support has also increased in the last 10 years.

“For instance, sports science has come much more into play around areas like nutrition. When I was playing we might have a talk with a nutritionist twice a year, now the team has Kate McDaid involved with them throughout the year. It's a subtle difference but I think the sustained support has helped improve the standard of players.

“I think the standard of play has improved in the last 10 years, the skillset is much higher than when I was playing. Players take great pride in skill execution and want to improve for themselves as well as the team.” 

Looking at the success the current Dublin team are having, O'Connor added: “There are a few past players involved with the current team and we keep comparing back to our day to today. I would love to be playing now with all the things that go on around training, nutrition, and sport science. But I am grateful to be involved in a coaching capacity and my job now is to support the players as best as I can.”