LONGFORD STAR DESSIE BARRY SET TO START HIS THIRTEENTH CAMPAIGN IN THE LEINSTER CHAMPIONSHIP When Dessie Barry takes the field for Longford in this year's Leinster Senior Football Championship he will be starting his thirteenth campaign in the blue and gold jersey. It hasn't been all sweetness and light for the Longford Slashers clubman. Longford have rarely threatened the big guns in Leinster and a win in the Championship is more a rarity than the norm. This summer the midfielders will take on the winners of the Offaly-Meath game and Barry is not labouring under any illusions about the outcome. "It would be very difficult to beat either Offaly or Meath at the moment. Meath are very strong and Offaly are showing signs of getting back to near their best. We will do our best but we are not too optimistic," he states. What motivates a man to make the sacrifices needed to play an inter-count level for thirteen long years with only the slimmest chance of success? Love of football? Love of county? "It can be hard to keep the old motivation going at times but I am just glad to get the opportunity to play for my county and playing inter-county football can be an enjoyable experience. But I enjoy playing for my club just as much," he says. With the famous Slashers Dessie has enjoyed a much greater level of success in terms of trophies. Last year he helped his club to another Senior county title, winning his sixth Senior medal. "It was a great victory for us and one we had to work very hard for. We beat Colmcille and it was something we were glad to win after a few years without much success." Endowed with skill way above the norm, Dessie Barry is widely regarded as one of the top forwards in the country; only Longford's low profile has prevented him from gaining a broader recognition. Yet Barry has gained some notable successes in his long inter county career. In 1988, for instance, he was chosen as a replacement All-Star and toured America, playing in one of the games in San Francisco; an honour few Longfordmen have enjoyed. Brought up in Longford town, Dessie Barry played at underage level with the Slashers and quickly made it into the county Minor and Under 21 squads. While still only a teenager he was playing regularly with the club Seniors showing a level of skill, strength and an eye for goal that picked him out from his peers. His first taste of the big time came with the Longford Slashers when they claimed Senior county titles in 1979 and '80, with Barry on the bench for both finals. The young player didn't figure prominently in these victories but his day would come. For most of the eighties the Slashers remained out of the frame when it came to winning county titles. But away from the limelight Dessie was gaining experience and putting in the performance that would quickly see him promoted to the Longford Senior panel. The Slashers ended a long spell in the wilderness with a vengeance; winning the 1989 county Championship and following it up with similar triumphs in '90 and '91 to achieve a remarkable three in a row. To win three county finals was a fine achievement matched only by Barry's feat of winning the Man of the Match Award on the three occasions. Dethroned the following year the Slashers came back in 1994 to win their thirteenth title, serving their place as one of the Longfords top clubs. The closest that Dessie Barry came to winning some silverware on the inter county front was in 1992 when Longford reached the All-Ireland 'B' final only to lose to Clare. "It was a chance for us to win an All-Ireland title and it was unfortunate we didn't because it would have given the county a great boost. It injected new life into Clare and it would have been a big help to as well," he recalls. Not since the mid sixties have Longford football supporters celebrated a major success. In 1966 the Midlanders won the National League title causing a major surprise by toppling reigning All-Ireland champions Galway. Two years later they followed it up with a win over Laois tot take the Leinster title; their first and last. Since then it was usually been a case of early elimination from the Championship - with the odd exception. "In 1988 we put a very good run together and managed to reach the semi-final of the Leinster Championship. We beat Wicklow and Westmeath in the early rounds. It was a very good run. We had some very good players available and for once things went very well for us. Unfortunately we haven't been able to get that far in the Championship since." Preparations for this year's campaign have not gone without the odd hitch or two. The team manager Tom O'Donoghue, the former Offaly hurler, resigned earlier in the year reportedly for poor attendances at training sessions. At the end of their National League campaign Longford found themselves relegated from Division three with four points from six games. It is hardly the type of preparation that is likely to cause undue worry and anxiety in the rest of Leinster. Over the past few weeks Dessie has helped out in training the Longford team, sharing the duties with some of the other Senior players. "It would be a big surprise if we did defeat Meath and Offaly but it wouldn't be easy either. We will be doing well to get into the next round," he adds with a realism born from years playing in the lower divisions. With a better exposure to the national media Dessie Barry would likely be a household name in gaelic football; as well known as James McCurtan, Colm O'Rourke, Anthony Tohill and their ilk. As it is the Longford post office employee has received an impressive array of allocades for his talents. As well as getting the call up as replacement All-Star Barry was nominated for the prize on a number of occasions and was considered unlucky by many not to have at least got one award. In 1990 he was picked on the Irish Compromise Rules team which toured Australia and in 1988 he was in his customary left full forward position on the Leinster team which defeated Ulster in the Railway Cup final. At 32 Dessie can look back on a long and interesting career at inter county level, but the end, he feels, might soon be in sight. "I will give it another go this year anyway and see what happens then. Thirteen years is a long time playing inter county football at senior level and it doesn't get any easier," he quips. Over the past decade or so Barry has noticed a much greater level of professionalism creeping into gaelic football. Now only the best prepared teams have any hope of success. This desire for greater perfection, he points out, places much greater demands on the individual who has still to live a normal life and spend eight hours a day in his workplace. "The demands on an inter county player, particularly in the very successful counties are huge now and it is very difficult for any player to give the level of commitment required over a long period of time." Looking ahead to this summer's Championship, Dessie Barry agrees with most commentators in picking an Ulster team to win the All-Ireland football final. "Derry are looking very good at the moment and you would have to fancy them to do well this year. They looked very impressive in the League although you can't go on League form alone. Often it doesn't mean very much when it comes to the Championship. The Ulster teams look very strong and the Sam Maguire could easily end up back there again." Although the odds are stacked against them, Dessie Barry and his Longford team mates will be doing their best to cause an upset when their Championship campaign kicks off in early June. Taken from Hogan Stand Magazine 19th May, 1995 Tweet

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