Anita Finnegan has proven herself to be a doer, a fighter and an inspiration to a lot of people as a result of illness and her work within the GAA. Kevin Carney spoke to the Monaghan Youth Board Secretary 1998. The Ulster junior ladies football final at Celtic Park, Derry. Aughnamullen ladies seem to be coasting it. Ahead by ten points at the interval against Donegal's Four Masters, the Monaghan champions are, however, slowly but surely being put to the pins of their collars. That they manage ultimately to hold out to win out on a 2-7 to 2-5 scoreline is a testimony to their undying spirit. Most observers agree though that Aughnamullen 'keeper Anita Finnegan played a pivotal part in shaping Sarsfields' monumentous victory. "I remember Anita making a great save on the line to stop them getting a vital goal as they tried to come back at us.That was a real turning point in my mind," a Sarsfields supporter who was at that final remarks. Almost six years on and Anita is still in the thick of things, albeit solely on the administration front. Then, as now, the personable club stalwart commanded huge respect and admiration for her tireless work on behalf of various strands of the Association. In that regard, apart from her shot-stopping duties in '98, for instance, Anita also acted out other roles such as; selector with the county minor ladies team, assistant-secretary of Monaghan Bord na nOg and communications committee member of the Monaghan GAA County Board. Interestingly, those au fait with Anita's modus operandi these days will tell you that her workload is no less demanding but her attention to duty is no less concentrated. As the current Secretary of Monaghan GAA Youth Board, Anita has more than her hands full. But add in the fact that she's a working mother in every sense of the description with four children ranging from 13 years to nineteen and one begins to wonder is the Ballybay-born lassie mad, brave beyond belief or a mix of both. "I'm well used to the work by now. I've been involved in juvenile affairs for the last seven years and before that I was secretary of Aughnamullen for six years. "I've been able to juggle the various things, family and GAA work around over the years," Anita explains. Dig a bit deeper and a more vivid picture of the reasons why Anita has shown such commitment to Gaelic games is garnered. Her father Thomas 'Cla' McSkeane bled the maroon and white of Ballybay. Mister McSkeane's gra for the Pearse Brothers and Gaelic football as a whole was inherited by all four of his sons and all four of his daughters, including Anita. Simply said, Anita was fed and watered on a diet of the big ball, native game. In real terms, one has to go back to 1991 to trace the time when Anita became pretty well known in GAA circles outside of her native Ballybay and adopted Aughnamullen. It was then that she shone like a diamond among the creme de la creme of ladies football in Monaghan. Indeed, Anita had few peers as a shot-stopper between 1991 and '95. In 1992 Anita was proud to line-out in goal for Monaghan as they whipped the best of the rest to win the All-Ireland junior crown. Later she was to show the same dedication to the job of senior county team selector when the white and blues scooped the 1996 and '97 blue riband All-Ireland crowns. So which suited the Finnegan psyche the best, playing or selecting? "You can't really beat playing and representing your county at the highest level was a massive challenge which I got great enjoyment from," she explains. Sadly Anita suffered a serious health scare which truncated her football career when she was diagnosed with cancer of the womb in 1997. The diagnosis served to exacerbate the stress she was suffering as it came hot on the heels of her sadness in losing twins some months earlier. "It was a difficult time for all the family but I took great inspiration from the likes of Jason Hughes of 'Blayney. "I got great support, of course, from my husband and the rest of my family but also from members of the Youth Board executive. "They were very quick to cover for me when I wasn't perhaps that able to do whatever business needed to be done." But surely a sabbatical from her GAA duties might have been called for in such a time of angst and uncertainty? "Maybe, but I found the work that I was doing in the GAA to be a helpful distraction from the medical stuff I was going through even if sometimes the administration work can be pretty frustrating when some people are overly-critical and don't appreciate the fact that the county board is doing its best." Thankfully, Anita has turned the corner with regard to her life-threatening illness and her no-holes-barred report to the 2003 Youth Board Convention showed that the former teak-tough 'keeper hasn't gone soft in the wake of her medical travails. Anita is not one who pulls her punches as her verbal volley at the aforementioned convention at some clubs regarding their poor disciplinary records indicated. And, in truth, as one who holds down such a responsible position, she can't afford to be a push-over. Certainly the picture which paints a 'too many chiefs not enough indians'-type scenario has clouded the Monaghan landscape (and most other GAA domaines countrywide too) at times in the not so distant past. "It seems like a lot of people want change and want more coaching but the same people aren't always prepared to roll up their sleeves themselves and get things moving. "As the saying goes, the harvest might be rich but the labourers are few." A firm believer in the view that while more coaching is the way forward and more financial support from the wider community is essential to move forward, Anita is equally convinced that the present structures need changing even if "a lot of people in Monaghan fear change." "I definitely feel there are far too many competitions at underage level. I know there's great enthusiasm at grass roots level but what about the young fellas that end up being burned out because they're playing far too many times and on too many teams at the one time?" But for Anita and co. at the highest levels of administration in Monaghan GAA circles, the burn-out factor can be a real-life issue also. After all, since Anita came on board the county board scene, 'close-seasons' have really been non-existent. "There isn't really a break from the work but, in all honesty, after the peak times of January and February, I don't have that much work to do and my county board colleagues are very helpful and very obliging if I want a helping hand." Of course, it's long since past when husband Brendan, daughters Genna and Lisa plus sons Brendan and Thomas (two promising Aughnamullen underage players) first eyed Anita's GAA 'books' on the kitchen table. The Finnegan clan, like the McSkeane clan down the years, has been reared on that most Irish of staple diets - GAA fare! So no changes in the short-term to the well-worked routine at chez Finnegan? "I don't really know. At the moment though I'm seriously thinking about making 2004 my last year with the Youth Board. After the end of next year, it might be a time to re-charge the batteries." We can expect Anita then to take on the role of supporter with typical fervour and passion? "Well, I don't know about that but definitely I'd love to support an Aughnamullen team on its way out of junior and it would be great if Monaghan football could build on its win last year over Armagh by giving us the chance to maybe cheer on a team to win the Ulster minor title within the next couple of years." It's Monaghan abu then for Anita all the way. On the club front though, she threatens to take the Fifth Amendment on her stance vis-a-vis the Aughnamullen or Ballybay predicament. "I'd be inclined to sit on the fence at the minute on that one but I suppose when Brendan and Thomas grow up . . . ." Enough said Anita! Tweet

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