THERE was a time when Barryroe camogie contested a senior county final. That was back in 2000, when they fell short against Bishopstown. Heady heights for the Carbery club.

Since then, Barryroe have slipped through the grades, but 2025 might just be the year they started climbing again. Winning the Cork and Munster junior B titles can be a springboard to more great days.

For joint-captain Emma Deasy and goalkeeper Meabhdh Sexton, this past season was hugely rewarding.

Since making her senior debut 12 years ago, Sexton has experienced relegation after relegation. So conquering county and Munster was embraced with open arms.

‘Throughout the years, with people travelling and other things getting in the way, we have gone down the grades,’ says Deasy, who shares the captaincy with Kate Whelton.

‘Thankfully this past season, Tom (Farrell) came on board and he just gave us the fire in the belly we really needed. To get over the line in Castle Road to win the county was unbelievable – and to win Munster was the icing on the cake.’

Tom Farrell’s influence on Barryroe’s revival cannot be overstated.

‘Tom is unbelievable. The structure he has put in place – I’d say it’s touching on inter-county. It’s unreal, the steps he’s taken to build this team,’ Sexton says.

Barryroe were also without inter-county minor Maria O’Donovan for their Munster campaign due to an ACL injury. Even so, they beat Newcastle West, Moyle Rovers and Kilmaley to secure the provincial crown. Different players stepped up at crucial moments. Hannah Whelton and Ellen O’Riordan scored 1-1 and 0-3 respectively in the Munster final, while Roisín Ní Bhuachalla was a reliable free-taker all year.

‘The future for Barryroe camogie is ridiculously bright. Please God, in a couple of years I’ll be able to hang up my boots knowing Barryroe camogie will be in an unbelievable position,’ Deasy says.

‘A special mention to Maria O’Donovan. We lost her just before Munster and it was a huge blow. I remember Tom calling us in before training and explaining what had happened, saying “we need to put our heads down and do it for Maria.”’

Roisín Ní Bhuachalla was named player of the match in the Munster final.

It’s remarkable how one person can shift a team’s mindset.

‘I was ready for retirement,’ Sexton admits. ‘I wasn’t going to go back until I heard Tom was on board. I didn’t realise how much it meant to me until we got to the semi-final (against Moyle Rovers). Once we won that, I came off the pitch bawling. Emma actually asked, “what’s wrong with you?” It was just all the emotions coming out. I thought I’d never win a medal with Barryroe, never mind a Munster medal on top of that.’

Barryroe’s intentions were clear long before the first ball was pucked.

‘We met in November 2024 and knew we were in a difficult position, being relegated to junior B,’ Deasy says. ‘Having been a senior club, we didn’t want to be there, but we had to face it. We knew what Tom wanted from us. I remember our first training session with him: there was an orange weather warning, and we were all waiting for the text to cancel, but there was no chance of that.

‘We needed to work hard, and we proved that this year. Regardless of the weather, or who was sick, or whatever was happening, we got out together and trained together. That’s how we earned our results.

‘Hopefully we can stick together and drive on through the grades in the next couple of years.’

It’s no surprise why Deasy and Whelton were chosen as joint-captains, as Sexton explains.

‘They’re two girls who might say a few words before a game, but they really do their talking on the pitch. Kate will win and clear everything at the back. She might not touch the ball in one half, but if it comes near her in the second, she’ll have it cleared.

‘And then you have Emma on the other side, putting the ball in the net.

‘They’re two outstanding players who have been soldiering on for years with me,’ Sexton adds, as Barryroe look to carry their momentum into 2026.