Downey insists her players are not out looking for revenge
NOTHING creates interest in a sport like an old-fashioned rivalry and camogie is fortunate at present to have, in Cork and Kilkenny, two teams that keep pushing each other to new heights.
Kilkenny claimed the League title earlier this year, exacting some revenge on the Rebels for their smash-and-grab in last year’s All-Ireland final.
There has never been more than a score or two between the sides and that’s the reason the camogie Association are confidently predicting more than 20,000 will come to Croke Park today and the crowd should surpass the 20,348 that were in attendance last year, which was the fifth highest in the game’s history.
This is the fourth time in five years that these two teams have met in the decider, with Cork leading the count 2-1, but it’s the memories of last year final, and Julia White’s splendid late winning point, that had added spice to this afternoon’s match.
But Kilkenny legend Ann Downey, who ended 22 years without the O’Duffy Cup for her county back in 2016, says that her players won’t be thinking of what happened last September when they run out onto Croker.
‘You can’t go out trying to win a match, looking for revenge for the year before,’ Downey (inset above) insists. ‘That’s not the way it works. You can’t change history. You have to play what’s in front of you and move on.’
The Kilkenny players met at the start of the year, reviewed a video of last year’s final and decided, collectively, to not speak of it again.
Last year’s final, which Cork won 0-10 to 0-9, was the first camogie final in eight years that didn’t have a goal. Cork have bucked that trend this summer, scoring a sensational 15-121 in six games on their way to today’s final, in stark contrast to Kilkenny’s tally of 1-43 from their five games, although Downey says that her side are only playing to their strengths.
‘Trust me, I’d love to see more goals but we have to play to our strengths. You have to look at the opposition and see the calibre of players they have. Cork have some great forwards so we will sit down and make a defensive plan,’ Downey says, also insisting that her team’s win in the League final in Nowlan Park will mean nothing today.
‘It’s a different game, different venue, probably a different Cork team. They will have a few changes, I would imagine. They are a great team.’
The game itself has been boosted this year by having live television coverage of all the knock-out games at senior level and Cork’s free-flowing attack in those games certainly made it more appealing.
However, Cork boss Paudie Murray and his management team have a decision to make ahead of this game. They might rein in their more expansive game-plan given Kilkenny’s strength in defence.
And while Downey suggests that this year’s League final will matter little, Cork will take great heart that they came within a point of Kilkenny despite having captain Aoife Murray sent off in the second-half.
This is likely to be another close encounter and both benches might come into play. Given that Cork can call on players like the experienced Briege Corkery and Linda Collins, that may just swing things to the defending champions.
Meanwhile, Cork also contest the Intermediate final against Down, who have reached their first All-Ireland final in 20 years. There was surprise that the Mourne girls have got this far but in players like the talented Niamh Mallon, they will pose problems for Cork though the Leesiders should complete the first of a two-part All-Ireland double.
Meanwhile in the junior final curtain-raiser, old GAA rivals Dublin and Kerry will meet with the Dubs favourite.