Boss Ger Manley calls for consistency as Cork target third All-Ireland crown
CORK are just two games away from camogie immortality – and manager Ger Manley knows a consistent, high-level performance will be required to keep their three-in-a-row dream alive.
The Rebels face Waterford in the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior camogie championship semi-final at UPMC Nowlan Park on Saturday evening (5pm), as they bid to reach a fifth consecutive All-Ireland final.
They’ve been here before. Amy O’Connor’s hat-trick lit up the 2023 Croke Park decider as Cork dismantled Waterford 5-13 to 0-9. Last year, Katrina Mackey’s goal edged Galway in a 1-16 to 0-16 win. Now, the Rebels are back in familiar territory with their eyes firmly on the O’Duffy Cup once again.
Everything has gone to plan so far this year. Ger Manley’s side claimed the National League Division 1 title and qualified for a yet-to-be-played Munster final – also against Waterford. Their All-Ireland championship form has been flawless, topping Group 1 with wins over Tipperary, Clare, Limerick and Wexford.
So what’s the concern?
Perhaps only the four-week gap since Cork’s last competitive game, which could lead to some rustiness.
Cork’s Ciara O’Sullivan against Waterford's Mairead O’Brien during their Very National League Division 1A clash in February.(Photo: Lorraine O’Sullivan/INPHO)
‘It has been a bit difficult to focus, but we have prepared as best we could,’ Manley told The Southern Star.
‘We gave the players a couple of days off after the last group game when we knew we were qualified for the semi-finals. They had trained very hard for six weeks before that. Then we took a week off and trained quite hard again for the last two and a half weeks.
‘We’ve had no competitive game, which can be a bit of a disadvantage, but the girls have been through it before. It doesn’t help – but that’s the nature of the beast. We’re just getting on with it.’
Meanwhile, Waterford come into the tie in confident mood after a 2-20 to 2-10 quarter-final win over Clare. Under the guidance of Cork native Mick Boland, the Déise finished second behind Galway in Group 2 – ahead of Kilkenny, Dublin and Derry – to earn their knockout place.
Manley expects a far sterner challenge than the one Waterford posed in the 2023 All-Ireland final.
‘We will treat Waterford with the utmost respect,’ he insisted.
‘All our recent games with them have been quite close. They have some exceptionally good players – Beth Carton, Lorraine Bray, Niamh Rockett – and Vicky Faulkner is back from injury.
‘They’ve brought in a few of their minors too. I thought they were a bit unlucky in the group game against Galway. We played them in the league and that was close enough as well.
‘They have a few players every team would love to have, and they’ll be going to Nowlan Park with nothing to lose.’
Cork, by contrast, have a full squad to select from – with Katrina Mackey, Méabh Murphy and Clíona Healy all back in training.
‘We have a full bill of health,’ Manley confirmed. ‘That kind of competition is huge. You need all 20 players if you want to win matches.’
The 5pm throw-in presents a logistical wrinkle, as Cork must wait for the conclusion of Tipperary v Galway before taking the field – but Manley is unconcerned.
‘Last year and the year before, we were in the second semi-final of the double-header. For me, there’s no issue with logistics. We’ll get a bit of food in before we head to Kilkenny. Earlier throw-ins are actually a bit trickier in that regard.
‘It’s a long day, there’s no doubt – but these are the days you want to be involved in, so we’re not complaining.’
Manley also praised MTU Cork for supporting the team’s training needs.
‘We’ve been very lucky with MTU – we’ve been training there and their pitch has been outstanding. I’d like to thank them for everything – they’ve been very good to us.’
Cork may be favourites, but Manley is under no illusions about the challenge ahead.
‘It’s an All-Ireland semi-final. If we don’t perform, we’ll be beaten – that’s the bottom line. We look for consistency in our performances, and that’s what we’ll be looking for again the next day. If we can give another consistent display, we think we have a very good chance of winning.’
