SUNDAY could not have been any sweeter for Sorcha McCartan, even if she had scripted it.

BY BRIAN BARRY

Four points from play, Cork reclaiming the O'Duffy Cup, and the Glen Dimplex Player of the Match award to boot.

Not a shabby day's work. Not that she could have foreseen this.

Her year had opened in disappointment, walking off the field in Thurles after St Finbarr's fell agonisingly short to Athenry in the AIB All-Ireland Senior Club Championship final replay.

After Galway opposition twice pipped her at the post in 2025 All-Ireland senior finals, McCartan had plenty to rue.

'Between last year’s All-Ireland final, the draw and the replay... I know we drew one, but all three of them felt like huge losses,' she reflects.

'Before the game (last Sunday), myself and Méabh [Cahalane] said, "we just can’t walk out of here with a loss again".

'When we were in Croke Park in December, it was a huge, huge disappointment. One of the most disappointing games I’ve ever been involved in. The game in January, Athenry fully deserved the win. It does make the victory a bit sweeter. Sometimes it takes a few losses to really appreciate winning. We’re absolutely delighted. For even the likes of Orlaith Cahalane and the girls who have been trucking on for years. It’s a huge win.

'It’s been a tough year, coming in, losing motivation after the All-Ireland losses and after club. But Ger Manley always stuck by me and has always given me support. I owe a lot to the management team."

While the winter campaign ended in disappointment, that St Finbarr's connection did bear fruit. McCartan turned provider for Cork's second goal, guiding the sliotar into the path of club teammate Orlaith Cahalane who took care of the rest. And there was a nod to another famous member of the Togher club in the making of that green flag.

'Do you know what, we practiced that a few times in training,' McCartan laughs.

'To be honest with you, it never comes off like that! On the biggest day, you’d be delighted that it does.

'I was just holding off my marker, I wanted to flick it on, but I didn’t know who was behind me. I just flicked it on, Orlaith ran in behind. Those moments come down to a bit of luck.

'We called the puck-out, "The Brian Hayes puck-out!"

'Both goals came from the same (approach), where Amy Lee gave the ball to Libby (Coppinger), and she just kind of launched it. It’s probably unorthodox for us to play like that. We like to stick to a set puck-out. But those ones are off the cuff… Sometimes they work for you, sometimes they don’t. But on Sunday, we got two brilliant goals from them. So we can’t complain!'

In truth, it was the turning point. Despite a gallant Galway fightback, the Rebels held on for a famous victory, in what many are already chalking up as one of the great Camogie matches ever seen.

Cork's Orlaith Cahalane celebrates scoring her sides second goal with Sorcha McCartan. (Photo: Ben Brady/INPHO)

'If you’d seen some of the hits, the physicality that was there… It probably was a class spectacle for people,' McCartan outlines.

'I think it was an exciting game as well. Ourselves and Galway, there’s nothing between us. If you watch every final we’ve had, there’s only been one or two points in it. Sunday, we were two goals up, and they just came roaring back into it.

"They have some of the best players in the country. After the two goals, we knew that they weren’t going to lie down and roll over.

"Galway are an unbelievable side. I’d expect nothing different from them. The standard is rising all the time. Galway and us bring out the best of each other. It’s great, but it’s obviously better when you come out the right side of it."

The 2026 tale of Cork Camogie is one of two halves.

The first involved a sluggish Centra Camogie League campaign which saw them narrowly avoid relegation. A Munster Championship quarter-final defeat followed.

That allowed the Lee-siders a break in play, during which their U23 side claimed All-Ireland honours. A timely shot in the arm.

'You saw the confidence of the U23 girls that were there," McCartan explains.

'For us (the senior team), there were smaller numbers at training (in April and May), it was tougher for us but we got a few challenge games in. The U23 girls are unbelievable and probably all they needed was just a bit of confidence. When they won then, they came back in and they brought a lot of energy.

'We fed into it then. You look at the likes of Ava (McAuliffe), Millie {Condon), all they needed was a bit of confidence and backing themselves. It played a huge part in our win on Sunday.'

Cork's Sorcha McCartan is presented with the Glen Dimplex Player of the Match Award by CEO of Glen Dimplex Ireland Johnny Dunne and broadcaster Marty Morrissey. (Photo: Tom Maher/INPHO)

That U23 triumph provided a pep in their step. And they were riding high when they pitched up in Kenny Park for their opening championship assignment.

Cork legend Gemma O'Connor, now part of the management team, provided the inspiration that day.

'Before the first Galway game in the championship, she asked us, ‘has the Cork Camogie empire fallen?’,' McCartan recalls.

'I’ve never seen such a focused team. When we stopped in Ennis (on the road up), we got back on the bus and it was just pure silence. Everyone was really focused. I didn’t expect the result to go that way either – a seven-point victory against Galway in Athenry, that doesn’t normally happen.

'But I remember her asking before the game, ‘has the Cork Camogie empire fallen?’ And I knew at that stage, everyone was like, 'absolutely not'. Ever since then, we’ve been tipping along nicely, and we kept to the process. Thankfully we kept winning.'

The empire strikes back, after the latest tussle between Camogie's two current titans.

McCartan is now enjoying the celebrations, having transferred from her native Down in 2022.

'Absolutely not, I never could have foreseen what happened," she says.

'I didn’t see this ever happening. Starting and playing and being here for so long. Sometimes, it’s a pinch-me moment, you have to realise that you’re actually there doing it.

'There’s been so many people along the way who have helped me. I’d be here all day if I were to mention them all.

'I’ve been extremely lucky that they’ve given me a chance and stuck with me. I can be hard work alright! But they never gave up on me.'