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12 | AUTUMN 2020 | www.ladiesgaelic.ie The first weekend of the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship could either be a joyous or devastating weekend for Dublin full back Niamh Collins. The Foxrock-Cabinteely defender turns 27 as the competition kicks off, and filling the full back shirt, the 2019 All Star winner hopes to get the defence of her county's All-Ireland title off to a winning start against Donegal. Any other year, there might be a small bit of wriggle room for early season nerves and inaccuracies, but this in this season's TG4 championship there is no tolerance available. Waterford join Dublin and Donegal in Group 3 of the Senior competition, and with only one team emerging from each section into the semi final, the pressure will be on from the start. Facing Maxi Curran's side, Dublin will be widely fancied to get off to a winning start, but after spending seven-and-a-half months away from competitive inter county action, Collins sees danger lurking. "It is a completely different kind of competition than anyone has ever played before. There is absolutely zero room for error and very little time for preparation between games. It is definitely nerve racking and it will be very challenging," said Collins, who won a sixth straight Dublin club title this autumn. "One loss and that probably means you are not going to progress in the championship. It will be a high pressure environment but nothing less than we're used to. Once you get out of Leinster, it is pretty much straight knock-out every year. Despite the short lead time, we are used to pressure situations and I think we'll deal with it okay, hopefully. "Donegal are a strong team physically, particularly in the forwards. They are a very strong attacking unit. We have generally Dublin's niamh collins reflects on herself and her dublin team with Declan Rooney tended to come up against them in the league and they are always fast out of the traps in that competition. "I have no doubt that they'll come to this with the same kind of attitude. They'll be fast out of the gate. That is something we have to look at to try to negate them as a team. "I guess we all have to see every single match as an All-Ireland. If you lose one you are out of the game. Because of the nature of straight knock out, every single match is an All-Ireland Final." While Mick Bohan's side kept in regular contact at the start of lockdown, as soon as it became clear that they were looking at Niamh Collins, left, and Tarah O'Sullivan of Dublin winning the 2018 TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football Senior Championship Final niamh collins - who won a sixth straight dublin club title this autumn I N TERV I EW