Camogie championship prepares for lift-off as Waterford seek to go one better

Waterford lit up last season’s competition. Reaching their first All-Ireland final in 78 years.

Their run attracted so much attention and acclaim. Huge crowds joined the parade.

They brought a massive following to the semi-final day in Nowlan Park. The joy on the final whistle said it all.

There was to be no gold at the end of it. They met a brilliant, vastly-experienced Cork side at the top of their game.

But still there was so much to be gained from the journey. And so much optimism for the future.

“To go all the way to the All-Ireland final was such a marvellous lift for our confidence,” states Keeley Corbett Barry.

“And one of the most important factors was the impact it had on the young girls in the county.

“It told them that they too could achieve something similar. They’ll remember us running out in Croke Park on All-Ireland final day. That memory will inspire them to try and do the same.”

Waterford will try to repeat the feat, and go one better, when the Championship begins on May 25.

They are in Group 1 with Tipperary, Derry, Limerick, Antrim and Kilkenny.

“We are not putting any pressure on ourselves,” says Keeley. “Last year is done now, and every team is starting from the same level. We are taking nothing for granted.”

As ever, the big three of Cork, Galway and Kilkenny will carry the favourites burden.

But Waterford’s display last season has injected a freshness to the Championship. As has Tipperary winning this year’s Very Division 1 Camogie League title.

“That was such a positive thing for us,” remarks Tipp’s Caoimhe Maher. “It was our first time in twenty years to do it. It was such a memorable and emotional day.

“We got the reward for putting all the work in, and now we’d like to be back playing in Croke Park regularly.

“It was great to be on the national stage. To gain that experience of playing on the big occasion. Hopefully, that will benefit us going forward.”

Cork well know their way down the Jones’s Road. They have won the O’Duffy Cup more times than any other county. 29 times in all.

They reserved one of their finest performances for the final last August, with the inspirational Amy O’Connor scoring a hat-trick of goals before a record attendance of over 30,000.

“We are all set to go again,” relates the Cork captain, Molly Lynch. “We are the champions. Everybody will want to beat us, but that’s something we will have to deal with.

“We didn’t win the League this season, but, overall, it was a positive campaign for us. We learned a lot.

“We went back to the drawing board and put in the work on the training pitch. It’s all about trying to improve every day you go out.

“We have a strong squad with a lot of new faces which is always encouraging to see.”

Cork are in Group 2 alongside Galway, Clare, Down, Dublin and Wexford.

The top two sides in each Group go straight into the semi-final. The second and third-placed teams will progress to the quarter-final.

The All-Ireland finals will take place in Croke Park on August 11.