MURRAY – CORK STARLETS MUST FILL BUCKLEY VOID

CAMÓGIE: CORK captain Aoife Murray admits the loss of last year’s captain Rena Buckley has left a massive gap in the dressing room but insists it will give other players an opportunity to step up, WRITES CONOR MCKENNA.

Despite Buckley’s recent retirement, Murray (right) was in upbeat mood at yesterday’s launch of the Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Camogie Championships as she goes in search of her ninth AllIreland medal.

“You can’t fill gaps with people other than Rena and I suppose you’d be upset in one way, because she’s a great person to have in the dressing room – she’s been a great leader,” reflected the Cloughduv stalwart.

“She’s always had such a level head and said the right thing at the right time, but the door opens for someone else to step up and be their own version of a Rena Buckley leader.”

Murray has retired once before coming back and is now playing under her brother Paudie who’s in charge of the team and the veteran goalkeeper is not even contemplating retirement at this juncture.

“I’d always look at it if Paidi’s involved you can’t pick your family really, so bit of loyalty to him. I’ve been through long roads with him through club and county and he didn’t put any pressure on me to come back and there was no pressure on me to come back.

“I don’t regret coming back. It was the right decision. If I hadn’t done (come back) it would have been the wrong decision and I’m not thinking of retirement right now.” The Camogie Association confirmed yesterday that Liberty Insurance has agreed to extend their partnership of the All-Ireland Championships and Camogie All-Stars by a further three years.

All knockout matches in this year’s Senior Championship will again be televised live on RTÉ.