Crozier says Derry can return to All-Ireland Final stage
Annie Crozier played in Derry's All-Ireland Junior Final defeat by Fermanagh in 2017
- Published
It may be almost eight years since she donned the colours of her native Derry in an All-Ireland final at Croke Park but Annie Crozier remains hopeful of once again featuring on the biggest day in the LGFA's annual calendar.
In September 2017, Crozier scored a point from right corner-forward as the Oak Leaf County drew with provincial rivals Fermanagh in an All-Ireland junior football final at the north Dublin venue.
The Ballymaguigan woman also raised a white flag when Derry lost out to the Erne women in the replay at Clones a fortnight later.
While there are a lot of new faces to the panel this year, Oak Leaf captain Crozier is optimistic they can develop the right blend needed to seriously challenge for the West County Hotel Cup later this year.
"Obviously we're using national league as that building process and getting to know each other as a team," Crozier said.
"It [making the junior final in 2017] just shows what is possible, whenever you get a good squad of girls together and you're all working towards one target. Obviously that would be the main aim, to get back there."
Annie's uncle Paddy Crozier managed Derry to the Allianz Football League Division One title in 2008
Although he had stepped away from the set-up by the time they made it to the All-Ireland junior final, Derry had begun the 2017 season with Crozier's father Paul in charge of the team.
He would later return to the managerial post for the start of the following year – by which point Annie had opted to spend a gap year in Australia.
Paul Crozier was far from being the first member of the St Trea's Ballymaguigan club to manage Derry at inter-county level, with Jim McKeever and 1993 All-Ireland winning boss Eamonn Coleman both in charge of the men's team on more than one occasion.
Additionally, Paul's brother and Annie's uncle Paddy Crozier also enjoyed a stint as Derry senior men's football manager.
After leading the Oak Leaf to an All-Ireland senior football championship quarter-final in 2007, he went on to guide his county to an Allianz Football League Division One title the following year.
"We were Derry die-hards coming up through the years. Used to be going out to support him [Paddy]. We would have been only eight or nine at the time. I remember us all going as a family. Full Derry kits, red and white headbands."
Work life balance
After she returned home from her sojourn in the southern hemisphere, Crozier undertook a two-year apprenticeship to become an engineer and she is now working for local firm Heron Brothers as a site engineer in Ballycastle on a shared education campus project between Cross & Passion College and Ballycastle High School.
The combination of early working hours and a sizeable commute means it can be tricky for her to achieve a perfect balance between her professional and sporting pursuits, but Crozier believes she has found a way to make it sustainable.
"Six o'clock leaving the house and then having your full day on site. 7.30 to 4.30 is the hours and then obviously Ballycastle, it's an hour drive for me.
"It's just hard getting the perfect balance sometimes, but I know no different at this point. That's the routine. It's busy nights, long days, but you just get used to it."
Derry aiming to end losing run
Derry will go into Sunday's Division Four League clash with Wicklow looking for their first points after four opening defeats.
Crozier missed the round-three loss against All-Ireland Intermediate Champions Leitrim because of a skiing trip in France but returned for last Sunday's contest against Sligo in Owenbeg when the visitors secured a 0-11 to 1-4 win.
That game was also the Oak Leafers' first home fixture of the year with the round two game against Fermanagh having been moved from Owenbeg to Lifford because of Storm Éowyn.
Sunday's clash with Wicklow in Owenbeg will be followed by games against Kilkenny (away) and Antrim (home) in the coming weeks and Crozier believes a win will help Derry to start moving steadily in the right direction ahead of their Ulster and All-Ireland campaigns.
"It would be nice to push on, get a win under our belt and try and get a few points on the board. Obviously we'll be keeping the heads down and trying to push on for that," Crozier added.