Eimear Ryan: Class is permanent in the rivalry that defines modern camogie

Camogie has never been played at a higher standard, and yet the sport has become predictable. Every iteration of the final since 2013 has involved some combination of Cork-Kilkenny-Galway

TRILOGY: Cork and Kilkenny played out a trilogy of thrilling finals from 2016 to 2018. Here Cork's Orla Cotter and Edwina Keane with Claire Phelan of Kilkenny battle it out during the 2018 final. Pic: INPHO/Bryan Keane

Women’s team sports are having a moment right now, a state of affairs that is both exciting and frustrating. It’s exciting because I love overhearing people talking about the Lionesses at the Euros (even if it’s just to give out about England winning something); because I was able to watch a surprising amount of women’s softball on the screens in sports bars on my recent travels to the US; because it’s heartening to read that half a million people tuned into TG4 to watch Meath win back to back All-Irelands. 

It’s frustrating because one would never have to utter the same phrase about men’s team sports ‘having a moment right now’ – it is never not their moment. But with a tantalising All-Ireland camogie final on the slate this weekend, women’s sports are hanging onto column inches and podcast airtime for another while yet. Here are five talking points ahead of the decider: