Irish Daily Star - Inside Sport
PHELAN: I STILL HAVE THE HUNGER AND THE DRIVE
There was definitely a raised eyebrow or two among camogie cognoscenti when the results of the opening round of the Very Camogie Leagues came through.
While Tipperary beating Division 1A champions Galway was a turn-up, the defeat of All-Ireland kingpins Kilkenny by Clare the same weekend was the real shock.
In a quirk of fate, the scheduling algorithm had put the two big guns up against one another for the second round and it was Brian Dowling’s crew that fell short once more to leave them pointless, more or less out of contention for overall honours already.
They accounted for fellow basement-dwellers Dubs a fortnight ago.
Figures
Between management and players, this is a hugely experienced group, even allowing for the legendary figures that have stepped away in recent years.
This time around, only Mary O’Connell is unavailable after taking time out to go travelling, but the Doyle sisters, Kellyann and Aoife are back, having missed the march to O’Duffy glory with cruciate tears.
There is an anxious wait to see what the prognosis is on a knee injury suffered in training by Miriam Walsh.
Like Walsh, Claire Phelan got married at the end of 2022, to emmett Byrne, and she admits to giving some thought about whether the time was right bring the curtain down on a stellar career.
Truth was, the 29-year-old Lisdowney defender wasn’t ready to head off into the sunset.
“The lads gave me a bit of time to see what I wanted to do and you do have to look at all angles of it but the way I see it, you only have so long,” explains Phelan.
“I’ve been there a while now but I still have the hunger and drive to do it. And there’s plenty of other girls there that have it, so I said it was an opportunity so I may as well stay going while I can.”
That the residents of the dressing room are close friends is undoubtedly a factor and her teammates “made themselves known” as the nuptials were celebrated enthusiastically.
It is another belated sign of progress in women’s sports that getting married doesn’t automatically draw the curtain down on a sporting career.
“It’s not that long ago where it would have been expected I suppose straight away, if you were getting married that was it, and say goodbye to that level of sporting life.
Loves
“But the lads were very good and emmet loves the camogie and is at everything, so he was mad for me to stay going as well.” She wants a fourth AllIreland medal but the triple All Star does accept that the mindset is different when you commence a season as champions.
Losing is invariably an easy motivator for a following season. There is a danger that victory smooths some of the edges.
“You’re coming into it from a different side, it’s very different. We’ve won a few now and we haven’t managed to do it the second year running so it is a big challenge.
“The target is on our back now again but we have to find another level. Last year isn’t going to do anything for us now.
“We’re happy with what we achieved last year but it’s come and gone.”
Next up, as part of a mouth-watering double-header with the hurling League outing between Kilkenny and Waterford at UPMC Nowlan Park, is an 11.30am start against tabletoppers Cork.