PHELAN FOR HER PALS
Claire’s sympathy for injured Doyles
BACK in March, when Glen Dimplex All-Ireland camogie finalists Kilkenny and Cork last met, finishing in stalemate in the National League, both Doyle sisters lined out for the Cats.
Defender Kellyann came off just 13 minutes into that 1-8 to 1-8 draw with a cruciate knee ligament injury, the third of her career, and all suffered in games against Cork while, two months later, sister Aoife suffered the same injury in the Championship clash with Limerick.
The pair have been in experienced defender Claire Phelan’s thoughts this week as the county gears up for Sunday’s All-Ireland final.
“Poor Kellyann, blow after blow,” said Phelan.
“She did hers earlier in the year against Cork. And then Aoife did the same against Limerick. It’s hugely tough on both of them but they’re brilliant, they’re at every training session, they’re on the bus, they’re tipping around still and it does make a difference to have them there, chatting away to girls.
Devastated
“But you’d just be devastated for them, the amount they put into it. Laura Norris as well, she’s had a foot injury, it’s ongoing, but she’s back now thankfully, running every night and she’s doing everything she can to get back. You can just see how much it means to all of them.”
Phelan says it really does make her extremely grateful for the position she finds herself in now, counting down the days until the final.
“We have the opportunity that they don’t, we have the opportunity to get out on the pitch and play so we’ll do everything we can because they’d love to have that opportunity as well,” she said.
It’s not just injuries that have hit Brian Dowling’s Kilkenny panel hard, retirements have hurt too.
From the team that lined out in the 2020 final defeat of Galway, just 20 months ago, Davina Tobin, Collette Dormer, Anne Dalton and Anna Farrell have all retired. Meighan Farrell is away travelling this year too so the turnover has been significant. Phelan said: “We’re just delighted to be there. There was a lot thrown at us this year between injuries and players leaving and whatever else along with that.
“So it just meant a lot to get there. That was our goal at the start of the year, we wanted to get to an All-Ireland final and to do it is great.”
Phelan, on the panel for over a decade, Grace Walsh, Denise Gaule and Miriam Walsh are among a core group of experienced players guiding Kilkenny through the period of transition.
It’s a case of so far, so good though as much as things change they also stay pretty much the same; Kilkenny v Cork in a national decider.
“There have been plenty of meetings over the last few years,” said Phelan, eyeing the four finals between the counties since 2014 and last year’s semi-final.
“We’ve been on both sides of the results so we know how easy they can slip away and how quick these games actually go by.
Ready
“You really have to be tuned in and concentrating on the game and just have yourself totally ready and in the best possible shape you can be.”
Phelan was at Croke Park for the men’s final and felt a mixture of pride and disappointment as Brian Cody’s last stand ended with a gutsy defeat to Limerick.
On the day of the camogie semi-final, Cody then called it quits.
“Brian Cody made our childhoods for a lot of us, we got to experience September every year nearly with AllIrelands, which is something special,” said Phelan, a primary school teacher in Clara along with Cats defender Paddy Deegan.
Amazing
“It’s nearly why Kilkenny hurling and camogie is as good as it is now, because young kids were growing up with that AllIreland every year nearly which was amazing when you think about it.”
Going one better than Cody’s crew is the challenge this weekend.
“When you were sitting up in the stand for the men’s final, all you want to be is down on the pitch and you’re thinking, ‘Where will I be this time next week’ or ‘What might happen in our game?’
“So definitely it does whet the appetite and you’re just ready to go from then on, just waiting for the time to come around.”