THE Cork camogie team hasn’t lost an All-Ireland semi-final since 2020 against Kilkenny and they will be hoping to keep their last-four winning streak going against Waterford this Saturday in Nowlan Park (5pm).
There is an argument to be made about losing finals being the worst feeling – just ask the Cork hurlers – but camogie stalwart Hannah Looney thinks differently.
‘A good coach of mine, Charlie McLoughlin with the Cork U14 footballers, described semi-finals as graveyards and that’s what they are,’ the Killeagh club player said.
‘They actually are the worst place to lose. You can say what you want about losing a final. At least if you get the final, you get the build-up and maybe reflect more positively on the year but if you lose a semi-final, it’s just the absolute pits. I do not want to be there on Saturday evening and I think all the girls are the same. We’re going to do everything in our power to be back in that final.’
Ger Manley’s side has been flawless this season, winning the league title, winning all but one game this year (the game they lost was against Galway in the league dead rubber) and only conceding two goals.
However, knowing what happened to the county’s hurlers and to the U23 camogie team who had the favourites tag before losing the All-Ireland final to Galway, Looney is wary.
‘I’d be lying if I said we didn’t think about these things because we do,’ the Cork star said.
‘We’ve all had the post-mortem from the All-Ireland hurling final. I’m not going to lie, when you’re the hunter, like in 2023, it’s that bit easier to find that motivation. You can stick the picture of the wolf down at the bottom of the mountain on the wall and be like “yeah, we are going to get back there.”
‘Then when you are the hunted, maybe there is a fear of losing that might creep in. Having said that, I think the mentality of this group is the best that I have ever seen. You all have those extra factors and extra pressures, an expectation to win but I think we’re managing well with it as players,’ she said.
What Waterford have over Cork too is playing an extra game, that coming three weeks ago in Croke Park against Clare. Cork haven’t played since their Group 1 closing win over Wexford (5-21 to 0-11) on Saturday, June 28th.
‘It’s been a long four weeks coming so we’ve been preparing really hard for it and I think there is a good buzz in the camp this week. You just try to iron out as many things as possible and it’s about freshness and driving into it now,’ Looney added.
‘We played Waterford in the first round of the league (winning 2-10 to 0-8) but you can’t read into anything like that. Anytime I’ve been on the pitch against Waterford, it’s been a dogfight. No matter what the score is for Waterford or for Cork, it’s just an utter dogfight and they’re getting stronger.’
The competition for places is a positive for the Rebels. It drives everyone on, including Looney who would be in the experienced bracket.
‘If you’re coming to training strolling around the place for two out of those four weeks, you’re not going to make the team. Might not even make the panel. The A v B matches are the hardest I’ve played all year,’ Looney noted.
‘This is the hardest it’s ever been. I joined the panel around ten years ago. There might be 16 or 17 people trying to make the starting team (back then). Now it’s 20 to 25. You could back everyone to start or everyone to do a job. The strength and depth in this panel is phenomenal.’
