KILKENNY MAY BE accustomed in recent years to picking up All-Ireland hurling wins in September but collecting a camogie crown has proven more tricky.
It’s 22 years now since they reigned supreme and there’s been a few final days of heartbreak in recent years.
Sunday is the next chance to end that barren run when they face Cork in Croke Park.
“We’re probably fortunate enough in the sense that the hurlers are there before us (usually) so that kind of takes a lot of the pressure off of us,” says attacker Michelle Quilty.
“he limelight kind of sticks with them for the majority of the time. The week leading up to ours then, you get the supporters asking you the questions and wishing you luck and stuff.
“You kind of just have to – without being ignorant – block it out and nearly go past it. Just focus on your own game to do what you need to do.”
This will be Quilty’s fourth final after reversals in 2009, 2013 and 2014. That loss two years ago caused particular pain.
“We went and I think we were five points up at the break in that game. You’re never complacent but you’re thinking this could actually be our day.
“But then I suppose when we came out in the second half, Cork got a run on us. They are a super team. Once they get a run on you, it’s very hard to claw them back. They’ve shown that going for three-in-a-row.”
Cork are formidable opponents but Kilkenny’s bright form in 2016 ensures they enter the game armed with expectations.
They swept past Galway to win the league back in May and repeated that victory on the championship stages in last month’s semi-final. Ann Downey, the celebrate camogie figure, has returned to sit in the Kilkenny managerial hotseat this year.
“Herself and Angela were formidable twins there, they were kind of the face for Kilkenny camogie for a number of years,” says Quilty.
“It’s great to have that experience and the knowledge they bring to the game in with us. Obviously it’s driving us forward and hopefully we can put it all in place.
“A lot of players then would have known Paddy (Mullally) and Conor (Phelan) in WIT. They seem to just gel the minute they come into us. We gelled really well and everyone enjoyed training and is getting on with it.”
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