BY DARAGH Ó CONCHÚIR
LIBBY Coppinger admits the thought of having to pick one of either camogie or football is closer than ever before.
The Cork dual star (28) continues to line out for both inter-county teams, but the increasing demands are pushing the St Colum’s player towards choosing one over the other.
As we move towards the business end of the season, three-in-a-row chasing Cork camogie are through to the All-Ireland semi-finals, while Cork footballers are in All-Ireland quarterfinal action this Saturday. It’s all-go for Coppinger.
Having missed Cork’s run to a second straight All-Ireland camogie title last year with a Grade 3C (very serious) hamstring tear, it did make Coppinger think about the mileage she has built up over the years playing both codes for Cork. Still, she could not bring herself to lighten her load just yet, but the day is drawing close.
Coppinger hopes integration of the Gaelic games associations will take place in 2027, as promised, and will aid those that want to play both codes, particularly at club level.
'I probably did think about playing the two more than ever before. I guess it was about getting the body back to the standard it was at but I felt this year, I kind of just had to give it a go. There’s no point in throwing in the towel before you even try,’ Coppinger said.
'But unfortunately, it’s just getting that bit harder. I know it ended my season last year, and you just want to park it but it still carries over, unfortunately, to the following year more than you’d like it to. But I’m happy to go another year. The decision is closer than I’d like it to be, but we’re gonna keep going for as long as we can anyway.
'I don’t really know where we’re at, at the minute with the integration. When we heard about it, you’re happy to hear it but it’s kind of, “Will it happen before the end of my playing career?”
'Obviously, there’s three of us (as dual players with Cork – Hannah Looney and Aoife Healy the others), and there’s more girls in other counties, and we’re kind of, I suppose, highlighting it at an inter county level, but it happens all over the place with clubs. So I would just like to see more togetherness and communication throughout that.
'It’s our choice to play at inter-county level, and that makes it a bit more complicated. But the amount of girls playing dual all over the country, it’s great to see, and we don’t want to discourage that, especially when so many girls are walking away from sport as it is.
'So hopefully integration will happen and it will be beneficial to us all.'
Libby Coppinger in action for the Cork footballers.
Coppinger’s worth to both codes is self-explanatory. On the camogie front, the Cork defender has racked up four All-Irelands and two All-Star awards since being called up in 2016. It’s irrefutable evidence that she is in the finest traditions of Cork full-backs. Think resolute, think resilient, with not a dream of taking a backward step. A sure touch makes her the ideal blend of silk and steel.
While playing further up the field for the Rebels with the big ball and regularly getting among the scores, Coppinger’s job description with a camán has always been about minding the house. As the game has evolved, so too have the full-back’s challenges, to an extent. The job description remains the same.
'I think as a whole in camogie, the skill is gone phenomenal, and there’s some excellent hurlers out there. As a back, you’re going out to mark your player, and there’s obviously times where there’s sweepers and everything involved. But you just have to try win your battle with the forward. So that hasn’t changed. Just make sure they don’t score!’ Coppinger said.
'Maybe there’s a bit more licence to do a bit of hurling yourself. Before, you were probably just there to stop them playing. Now you’re playing a bit yourself as well. We talk about the forwards being the first line of the defence so the same way, we’re the first line of attack. You’re trying to give the ball to the player in the best position out the field. So hurling-wise, just in general, everyone’s kind of gone up a level.’
Coppinger has gone up a level for both Cork inter-county teams, but how much longer she can continue to do so, fans must wait and see.
