Amy O'Connor: Cork getting all the tests they need in training
In the past half-century, the Rebels have enjoyed more consistent success than ever before. They have mopped up 20 All-Irelands, but never replicated that three-in-a-row feat. On Sunday, that rare opportunity is up for grabs.
Less secure groups might try to turn a blind eye to that fact altogether. This Cork crew won't engage in such studied ignorance. But it won't dominate their build-up either.
'You'd be fools not to acknowledge it. Sometimes you just have to embrace these things,' says top-scorer Amy O'Connor. 'Like, how many more teams have the opportunity to do it?
'But it's not something we're going to focus on. It's another match. It's another final. Any final that you get to, you want to win, regardless of whether you're going for one, two, or three in a row.
'That's the way we look at it. It would be a bit stupid if we didn't acknowledge it, but it's not something we're going to focus on.'
They arrive at Croke Park without the sort of major test a team might prefer, even if Waterford proved stubborn opponents in the semi-final.
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Cork's five championship games have been won by an aggregate total of 100 points. Like last year, the closest any team pushed them before the showpiece was nine points.
But O'Connor insists it would be wrong to accuse Cork of being untested.
'We have the 30-odd best players in Cork. We're training every night. We're playing A versus B or whites versus reds or whatever it might be in training every night.
'Our training is a really good standard, so we'd like to think that we're testing ourselves every night in training.
'We've played a couple of challenge matches between ourselves. No, I wouldn't look into that too much.'
O'Connor is well accustomed to bringing out her best on the big day. Her 3-7 haul as captain in the 2023 final attests to that. She delivered another hat-trick this summer in the group-stage demolition of Wexford.
The sharp-shooter received some treatment in the semi-final for a shoulder injury, but it hasn't hampered her since. Neither has the Lisfranc fracture in her foot, which she sustained in last year's final and took longer than expected to rehabilitate.
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O'Connor is a qualified pharmacist, but has been working for the last six years in technology for Workvivo, a company founded by her St Vincent's clubmate John Goulding. With its positive work culture, she considers it the 'best thing I ever did'.
On the field, one of her greatest privileges was getting to play alongside Gemma O'Connor. Now, she has the pleasure of being coached by the St Finbarr's legend as part of Ger Manley's backroom team.
'Gemma's probably seen as the greatest camogie player of all time. She's got nine All-Ireland medals, 11 All-Stars.
'She was my hero growing up. I would have been blessed to have played with Gemma once, but she was around for so long, I ended up playing with her for probably, Jesus, five or six years. And delighted to do that.
'Now that she's back in with us, Gemma calls things for what they are, and she's really brought something to the group this year. We're delighted to have her back.'
Much like Gemma, Amy won't be in any rush to step away from the inter-county setup.
'I'd love to continue for as long as I possibly can because I genuinely just love it so much.
'I love being part of a group where people all have the same goal and everyone's trying to do their best to do the same thing.'
As for this weekend's goal, they will be treading a well-worn path up against Galway in a repeat of the 2024 All-Ireland and 2025 league finals.
'We've been there before. We'll stick to what we know and stick to our game plan, whatever that might be on the day for Galway,' says O'Connor.
'Obviously, there's a bit more of a build-up to it. There's going to be more people at the games. It might be slightly different for the men's game, where there's loads of people going to all their games.
"But we're just trying to stick to what we know, and we've been there before. As Galway have.'
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Irish Examiner
a few seconds ago
- Irish Examiner
An outstanding camogie rivalry again delivered. Someday the sport's association might seek to harness it
The midweek soundbites of Camogie President Brian Molloy didn't land. The gauntlet thrown down to all those who weighed in on the skorts protest was ignored. The masses refused to be guilted into attendance. The president and the rest of the Camogie Association posse were naive to think the strong words of last week would ignite a response by foot. The camogie product has never been stronger and yet the year-round promotion of this product still lags a distance behind. That the latter statement still has to be made, in the wake of a second successive final thriller, is regrettable. The focus should be elsewhere and we will shortly steer it that way. Yesterday's crowd of 28,795, while still the second highest for a Camogie final, was nowhere near befitting the enthralling and physically ferocious fare served up. Of the four All-Ireland senior finals of the past month, yesterday was out on its own under several different headings. None of the previous three produced a contest of this nature. None of the previous three produced drama of this nature. As we wrote last year and we write again now, the players in maroon and their contemporaries in red can do little more to entice patrons through the turnstiles. Add to that list the referees. They too can do little more. This final was refereed from another world. Think back to the whistle-obsessed officiating of the many Cork-Kilkenny deciders in the middle of the last decade. Finals ruined by referees. Finals are now being raised by referees. The leniency shown is continually lifting the game to new heights by enabling players to express themselves both in strength and in skill. Yesterday was the latest example of such. That is not to say Justin Heffernan scored a perfect 10 with his performance. Anything but. He missed a blatant push by Galway corner-forward Caoimhe Kelly on Cork goalkeeper Amy Lee that ended with the former firing over for a four-point lead. On the Galway side, Sabina Rabbitte was somehow called for overcarrying as Libby Coppinger hung out of her. Both sides will have other grievances. Both sides did air their grievances. Ger Manley labelled Heffernan's performance 'shocking', Hannah Looney's red card 'very harsh', and the winning free 'a dive' by Carrie Dolan. Whatever about the first and third of these assessments, the first-half injury-time red card was a red card. Interpretation is off the table there. Cathal Murray, meanwhile, was infuriated with the interpretation of the charging rule for a second year in succession. On this occasion, Mairead Dillon and Dervla Higgins had second-half frees given against them when carrying possession into Laura Treacy. 'That rule has to change. It's absolutely crazy,' said Murray. The above incidences, though, were in the minority. The physicality allowed propelled proceedings forward. The physicality allowed propelled this final onto the top shelf of camogie deciders. Midway through the second period, Mairead Dillon presented herself in the face of Treacy. The Cork centre-back wasn't allowed out. She handpassed to Méabh Cahalane. The Cork captain got a similar unforgiving searching. In too many previous finals, the whistle would have been blown and the hand raised for a Cork free out. The whistle, as was the case so often yesterday, never came. Cork were turned over. Carrie Dolan was fouled. Carrie Dolan converted for a four-point Galway lead. 'We welcome physicality, we want physicality. Them girls are three nights a week in the gym, I'm sure Cork are too. We want the game to be played like that,' said Murray. 'Justin is a good referee. He'll always shake hands and say, 'I'm going to let it go as much as I can'. In fairness, most of the referees are doing that. You don't want a game of frees like we had in the past, but I do think it was an unbelievable game of camogie. You don't get a chance to enjoy it because you're running up and down the line, but it looked like an unbelievable game and Cork are unbelievable champions the way they came back at us.' Galway seethed during the two-week build up over how Cork were billed as untouchable rather than unbelievable. Ailish O'Reilly, the sole Galway player to start all four of their modern-day final victories - 2013, '19, '21, and '25 - became the latest All-Ireland winning player of recent weeks to speak of perceived disrespect. 'It felt like we were just coming up to show up and they were just going to be handed the trophy. We were so riled up,' said the forward who has scored in all four final wins. Galway have never needed perceived disrespect to stand equal with Cork. This was a relationship they took control of in the 2019 semi-final and dominated for eight successive games before the shift in sands two summers ago. Aggression was the central theme in the Galway gameplan. Always has been when the opposition wear red. Stop the Cork running game at the start line. Physicality at source to prevent possession snapped and short passes played. Crucified was Cork's short puckout game. Aggression stifling athleticism. Within the opening eight minutes, Amy O'Connor and Hannah Looney spent time on the deck receiving treatment. Orlaith Cahalane lay stretched just past the quarter hour. Galway were tackling right on the edge. At times, such as Aoife Donohue's goal-preventing pull on O'Connor for the saved penalty, Galway went past the edge. Cork were sore and unsettled for it. Next to nothing was being pulled. That was until Galway's aggression unnerved Cork to such an extent that Cork's nerve snapped. Late in the first-half, Ashling Thompson played a ground pass to Saoirse McCarthy. The half-forward was swallowed robustly whole by Derval Higgins, O'Reilly, and Siobhan Gardiner. Possession broke to Donohue, Thompson fouled her. Carrie Dolan converted and Galway were five in front. Two minutes later and in the same area in front of the Hogan Stand, Katrina Mackey was the latest in red to be swallowed. She handpassed to Laura Hayes. Such was the pressure applied, the half-back dropped possession out over the sideline. Niamh Mallon clinched her fist in pumped delight. When Carrie Dolan charged into the back of Looney just before the ensuing sideline was struck, the Cork midfielder put her fist across the faceguard of Dolan and was duly sent off. And yet, the numerical advantage almost didn't count. From a position of a woman up on the field and five up on the scoreboard, Galway almost threw the final away with their four second-half wides and shots sent short. Cathal Murray, unlike 12 months ago, ran the bench early. One of those, Sabina Rabbitte, was a lone outpost in the full-forward line. She won delivery after delivery. Captain Carrie won the game-winning free and then showed phenomenal steel to convert. Cork were camogie's standard-pushers of recent years. Galway were the sole stone in their shoe. There was no shaking them here. Galway rattled them physically and mentally. Galway again raised themselves to new heights in attempting and succeeding in conquering Cork. The wait for a red three-in-a-row and bridging the gap to the early 1970s runs on. The fifth and sweetest for Galway. Camogie's outstanding and only rivalry again delivers. Someday the Camogie Association might seek to harness and capitalise upon it.
Irish Independent
an hour ago
- Irish Independent
‘These players are heroes to little girls' – Galway fans celebrate victory over Cork in All-Ireland final, but fans call for greater support for camogie
The Tribeswomen sealed glory with a point in injury time after a late Cork goal spurred a comeback that threatened to send the game to a replay. As Galway celebrated in front of a crowd of 28,795 after a Carrie Dolan free to win the game, some fans said they were disappointed more supporters had not turned out at the final. Carmel Finn, from Cappataggle, Co Galway, said: 'It's been very exciting. It's a great day for Galway. It's a day for family and everyone had a fantastic time, but we still don't have anywhere near the number for the men's games and that's unfortunate.' Ms Finn attended the game with her sister, Regina Fahy, and other family members. She was glad the skorts issue, which had dominated so much of the coverage around the game this year, had been 'sorted out'. 'The players should always have had a choice to wear what they wanted,' she said. 'But it's good they now can and the issue is resolved, but we'd love to see more people come out.' Before the game started, Pink Pony Club by Chappell Roan played out across Croke Park as the crowd buzzed with anticipation for the sliotar to be thrown in to start the match in humid conditions. Families sat together, at times on tenterhooks, as they willed their teams to victory in a nail-biting match. Gerry Kitt (68), originally from Mountbellew, Co Galway, travelled to the game with his son, Cormac, a 12-year-old GAA player who was born in New York. It's like something from the Victorian times, isn't it 'We always come to the finals,' Mr Kitt said. 'We were here for the men's finals and now the camogie. It's great to be here. 'The sport is about how well they play, and these are very dedicated, very athletic players, representing their county to the best of their ability.' Dressed in the Galway colours, Cormac was very much a pint-sized feminist when it came to the skorts issue. He had travelled with his father from Yonkers and he was there to enjoy Irish culture and support his team. 'It should never have been an issue whether the players wore skorts or shorts,' Cormac said. 'It's about how they play and they play every bit as well as the men. Up Galway.' Cork woman Gillian O'Brien, from Carrigaline, told of how proud she was to attend the final with her grandchildren and to support Cork. 'This is about family, and the players are heroes to little girls,' Ms O'Brien said. 'But the skorts-shorts debate was crazy. The fact we were even having this conversation in 2025, that it had to be voted on. It's like something from the Victorian times, isn't it? 'It was always the players who should make a choice on what they wear. They have to play the game. And try to win. It should never have been about their clothes.' With her granddaughters, 18-month-old Clara and three-year-old Bonnie, soaking up the atmosphere, Mrs O'Brien smiled at the children, but her expression became earnest as she addressed her next point. Could clubs give some tickets away free, perhaps? 'There was so much debate about skorts, but when it came to the Cork camogie team getting to the final, there just wasn't enough support there,' she said. 'I was disappointed when some local businesses took down some of the flags after the Cork men's hurling final, even though the women's team still hadn't played. 'There's still a way to go. It was like the flags were up and they said, 'Oh, well,' when it came to supporting the women's team. 'The players set an example to young girls and we need to get behind them as a country.' Elaine Sisk, from Cork city, was in fiery form when it came to the game and the kit issue. 'The game has come a long way in the last 10 years, but we need to look at what more can be done now to promote camogie,' she said. 'Could clubs give some tickets away free, perhaps? 'I'd like to see a lot more people here, because it [the turnout] is nothing compared to the men's games.'
Irish Independent
4 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Drab stalemate in Waterford clash leaves Drogheda United feeling blue
Dropped points elsewhere by Bohemians, Shelbourne and Derry City limited the damage to Drogheda United's European aspirations following this disappointing draw against Waterford at Sullivan & Lambe Park on Friday night. In a game of few chances the Boynesiders did rack up their fourth consecutive clean sheet, but they were lacking in quality at the opposite end of the pitch against the joint worst defence in the Premier Division and failed to test Stephen McMullan in the Waterford goal all evening. Opposition boss John Coleman had said in the build-up to this game that he'd be trying to do to Drogheda what they did to Bohs the previous week, in other words defending resiliently and then trying to hit them on the break, and Waterford will be well pleased with their night's work despite failing to complete the job by snatching a shock winner. The Boynesiders began brightly enough and in the fourth minute Darragh Markey had a shot blocked and Shane Farrell's follow-up from distance grazed the crossbar. Oluwa then sent a looping header just too high from Markey's floated cross, before Conor Kane and Markey combined to put Oluwa down the left flank and he cut the ball back to Owen Lambe whose shot was blocked by Ryan Burke. Oluwa then got on the end of a lovely floated pass by Shane Farrell and cut inside before sending a tame shot straight into the hands of McMullan. At the other end Lambe gave away possession cheaply and from the resulting Waterford attack the ball sat up nicely for Conan Noonan and his half-volley was superbly turned away by keeper Luke Dennison. Just past the half-hour mark, Oluwa pick-pocketed Burke and took off down the pitch and had a two-on-one situation as Josh Thomas came up in support, but the former Wexford striker went for goal himself and his shot was brilliantly blocked away for a corner by last man Kyle White. Oluwa had a couple of other half-chances coming up to half-time, and just after the break James Bolger's pass released Lambe in behind the Waterford defence and he squared towards Thomas whose low shot lacked power as McMullan again made a routine save. A similar effort at the other end by former Liverpool and Rangers midfielder Jordan Dennison mwas easily gathered by Dennison, but Drogheda continued to have the upper hand and Oluwa fired an angled effort into the side netting after an assist from Conor Keeley, before Keeley himself hooked over the bar. ADVERTISEMENT The longer the game went on, though, the more Waterford seemed to grow in confidence and the final quarter was an evenly contested affair. Tommy Lonergan had a sight of goal in the 71st minute as he drifted infield, but Andrew Quinn did just enough to put off the former St Pat's man whose shot flew well wide. Lonergan then headed just over the bar from a Noonan corner, before Padraig Amond glanced a header straight into the hands of Dennison. Drogheda threatened from a couple of corner kicks in stoppage time, but Waterford defended gamely and ultimately were good value for a rare point on the road. Drogheda United: Luke Dennison 7; James Bolger 8, Conor Keeley 8, Andrew Quinn8 ; Owen Lambe 6, Ryan Brennan 8, Shane Farrell 8 (John O'Sullivan 77min, 6), Conor Kane 7; Darragh Markey 7, Thomas Oluwa 6 (Dare Kareem 85min), Josh Thomas 6 (Warren Davis 62min, 6). Subs not used: Aaron Harper-Bailey, George Cooper, Kieran Cruise, Luke Heeney, Michael Cardo, Jack Brady. Waterford: Stephen McMullan 7; Grant Horton 8, Rowan McDonald 8, Andy Boyle 8, Ryan Burke 8; Conan Noonan 8, James Olayinka 7, Jordan Rossiter 7, Kyle White 7; Padraig Amond 8, Tommy Lonergan 6 (Trae Bailey Coyle 86min). Subs not used: (Adam Coyne, Bradley Wade, Jesse Dempsey, Sean Keane, Adam Queally, Dean McMenamy, Sam Glenfield, Josh Miles. Attendance: 2,194
