Christina McGinty still going strong after all these years

UP in the Croke Park Press Room last week, a picture on the Thomas Davis Twitter got people talking at the coffee counter.

he Tallaght club were playing in the Páidi Ó Sé Tournament in Dingle, and the great Christina McGinty was among them. Still lacing up the boots. Still relishing every second.

As the good cricket folk might say, it’s been a great innings. Christina first began playing for the club when she was Under-10. She played in the Cumann na mBunscol finals for Scoil Maelruain. The first girl to captain a boys’ team in Croke Park.

She spent 14 seasons in the Dublin jersey. Winning the All-Ireland Junior Championship in 1989. That same year she captained both the Dublin Under-16 and Minor teams.

Last September, Thomas Davis reached their first Ladies’ Football Dublin Senior Championship final. The structures and pathways have never been better along the Kiltipper Road. And Christina played a notable part in that.

She finished with the Dubs in 2002. The year they won their first Leinster Senior Championship title. They beat Laois in the final at Dr Cullen Park. The management team were Willie Lillis, Mick Bohan and Anne O’Mahony.

A milestone for the Blues, and Mick Bohan has never forgotten its significance. The Dubs have won many Leinster titles since, but Mick says it’s important to cherish them all. The struggle, and the sense of achievement of that 2002 group, still echoes with the Dublin boss.

And so does the joy of playing football for Christina. The photo of her and daughter, Amy, Thomas Davis team-mates in Kerry last week, will sit proudly on the mantel piece.

Dublin Leinster final team 2002: Suzanne Hughes (Ballyboden St Enda’s); Orla Smith (Ballyboden St Enda’s), Lorraine Roche (St Mark’s), Tonya Allen (Ballyboden St Enda’s); Gemma Fay (Ballyboden St Enda’s), Orla Colreavy (Naomh Mearnog), Niamh McEvoy (Parnell’s); Angie McNally (Ballinteer St John’s), Martina Farrell (Ballyboden St Enda’s); Louise Kelly (Ballyboden St Enda’s), Síle Nic Coitir (Ballyboden St Enda’s), Mary Nevin (Na Fianna); Elaine Kelly (St Brigid’s), Aisling McCormack (St Mark’s), Christina McGinty (Thomas Davis).