McCormick deferred scoliosis surgery to pursue camogie

Antrim camogie star Roisin McCormick said she was "glad" she turned down scoliosis surgery when she was 15 to continue to play the sport.

McCormick was diagnosed with the condition, a curvature of the spine, as a teenager and admitted she had to make "a few tough decisions" before opting against the surgery to carry on her burgeoning camogie career.

She has since won multiple Antrim and Ulster Club Championship titles with Loughgiel Shamrocks, an Ashbourne Cup with TUD and an All-Ireland intermediate title with the Saffrons, leaving her feeling vindicated by the decision.

"I was very very emotional about it and the main question I had was 'what about camogie?' and that was my parents' question as well because they are camogie mad," she told BBC Sport NI's Faith Harper and Rubi McGarvey.

"The doctor said that if I go ahead with the surgery I wouldn't be able to play camogie because I was past my growing stage and camogie is so physical, the contact could probably cause more problems.

"I decided not to go with the surgery and I'm glad I didn't because I've had so much success through it. I wouldn't have that if I was the 15-year-old who took surgery at the time and I would have always been asking myself 'what if?'.

"I don't regret making that decision and I know there is possibly a surgery down the line that will come with retirement, but hopefully I don't have to worry about that yet."

While McCormick admits the condition is "still an insecurity", she is satisfied that she has been able to achieve her dreams of playing at the highest level, even if it means she has to be conscious of managing her load in the gym.

"It hasn't particularly stopped me from doing anything I want. I became very resilient and was able to push on with what I wanted," she added.

"I've not had too much bother with it, I've had to be extra careful with weights I'm pushing in the gym, but it hasn't overly affected me.

"I will get surgery at some point when camogie is not a big thing, I'll have to think more so of quality of life, but at the minute I'm OK."