Vikki Falconer ‘happy to be back' after horror injury as Waterford camogie star targets All-Ireland redemption vs Cork
Today, her
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A leading Player of the Year contender when she lined out in the 2023 Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior final against the Rebels, Waterford's specialist marker won the first battle with
Cork
captain Amy O'Connor.
But she crumpled to the turf after just three minutes when attempting a change of direction. A torn ACL and that was that.
O'Connor went on to score 3-7 from ten shots, 3-2 from play, and the Rebels were All-Ireland champions, a title they held on to last year.
Falconer's recovery preceded a brief return in last year's campaign, which ended at the quarter-final stage for a Déise side who were without her again when knocked out by
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Waterford have looked better this
summer
and surely a factor is the fresh return of the Tramore defender who, after a quad injury had halted that 2024 comeback, went to
Falconer, 31, said: 'I know I'm very lucky to be back. I know that not a lot of players can do that. I'm grateful towards management and the girls to be left back into the panel.
'But after the cruciate and everything, I felt I just needed a bit of a break. It was something I've always wanted to do. It gave me the opportunity to
work
on myself as well.
'It gave me that break from just the usual training. I was able to go to the gym and I trained with a club, Central Coast, over there as well. So it was really good and I'm happy to be back.'
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Three weeks ago, on Falconer's Croker comeback, it took fellow veteran Niamh Rockett bagging 1-11 against Clare to deny her the player of the match gong as today's All-Ireland semi-final renewal with the Rebels in
The Banner were beaten 2-20 to 2-10 and while it was a big moment to be back at
Palestine GAA players watch camogie match on laptop
She added: 'I tried not to think about it. There were a few comments during the week but for me, I was just excited.
'In the All-Ireland final, when I did my knee, I was a bit later on in my career so I did have those thoughts — the last time I played in Croke Park, is that going to be the last game? And I didn't want that to be the case.
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'Coming off, I was really happy. Looking back, I'm just delighted that I was back up there. Every player, every GAA player, every camogie, ladies
football
player, you want to be playing in Croke Park.
'At my age, you always do wonder, when would be your last year. And 2023, bar in the finish obviously, was a good year. And when the injury happened, well I'm a bit stubborn and I said I was not finishing like that.
'Even last year when I did get back, I got injured again. There was a big mix of frustrations so I was eager to get back this year too.'
She agrees Waterford started slowly against Clare and that it took her 'three or four balls' to get to grips with the dangerous Róisín Begley.
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The test against three-in-a-row-chasing Cork should prove tougher again but as she aims for another All-Ireland final outing, Falconer would not want to be going into it alongside any other team-mates.
She said: 'It's a really good atmosphere, everyone's getting on really well. When you're coming back into a group like this, it makes it a lot easier. There's something special in the team.'
1
Róisín Begley of Clare in action against Vikki Falconer of Waterford during the Glen Dimplex Senior All-Ireland Camogie Championship quarter-final
Credit: Ray McManus/Sportsfile
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