Dillon-Gaynor duel could decide title

EVEN as Cork romped to their facile 4-16 to 0-3 win over Galway in the All-Ireland senior camogie semi-final just under four weeks ago, one player in particular stood out for the victors.

Emer Dillon was at centre-forward that afternoon, closely guarded by Tracey Laheen, one of Galway’s best players, but it didn’t matter.

The flying Ballygarvan girl was unstoppable, created chance after chance, destroyed the confidence of Laheen, made a series of scorching runs through the heart of the Galway defence, ended the game with five superb points from play.

This Sunday in Croke Park, in the All-Ireland decider, Emer will be attempting to do the same thing against another outstanding player, Tipperary’s Ciara Gaynor, in a duel which could well decide this eagerly-awaited affair. No-one is more aware of this than Emer herself.

“I only came across her once before and that was in the final last year. She’s a brilliant player, the toughest person I’ve ever played on and I’d have great respect for her.

"I was injured for the Munster final this year, but I was watching her, she was so strong, fit, she has everything. Hopefully I can curtail her a small bit. That will probably be my job to limit her as much as possible.”

Damage limitation will probably also be on the mind of Gaynor, and it could well be that they just cancel each other out.

If either should gain the upper hand, however, that advantage could be a game-breaker. Obviously, Emer is hoping it will be her and hopes also that a win will help salve the wounds of Sunday last.

“Hopefully all those who couldn’t get tickets for the hurling All-Ireland will make it up for our game. There won’t be any shortage of tickets that day, but it’s still an All-Ireland final and it’s a brilliant day out, especially for the younger kids.

"They’ll be looking at the likes of Fiona O’Driscoll, thinking, that’s going to be me in a few year’s time. It’s a great way of getting the kids interested“.

Emer’s own interest in camogie was sparked by her father, whom she used to trail since the age of four down to the hurling field in Ballygarvan, where he trained the local underage sides.

A few years later, however, she also developed an interest in another sport, a sport for which she now has an equal talent. That pace, athleticism, hand-eye co-ordination, courage, so obvious on the camogie field, has helped her to international honours in hockey and a cap at U-18 level.

With the Irish women having performed so well in the recent World Championships, with the Athens Olympic games around the corner and qualification already assured, a decision on her playing future will have to be made. It’s a decision she’s dreading.

“I don’t know which I prefer, I change my mind a couple of times a year! I like both of them, I suppose that’s the problem. They both have their good points, in camogie you’re playing with your home parish, the village, the pride in the jersey.

“I’m from Ballygarvan, born and bred in the centre of the village, so there is a buzz about wearing your own jersey, same as there is playing with Cork. There’s pride in the jersey in hockey as well, but it’s different.

"Hockey is more objective, you have to be more tactical, there’s more brainwork involved, it’s not the same as playing with your home place.

"I play with Harlequins, they’d be local enough for me but you have people travelling from all over the place to play for them, so there’s not that parish element to it. It’s more restrictive than camogie as well, a bit more frustrating to play.

“In camogie you can run around the place ’til you get the ball. In hockey it’s far more structured, you’re more stuck to your position. I get in awful trouble too, because of the non-contact element of it.

"Camogie is supposed to be non-contact too, but there’s sort of a blind eye turned to it, especially nowadays. You have to, to give it your all.”

Which way is she leaning at the moment? “It depends, I wish I could do the two, but it’s one or the other. It is a hard decision.

"The challenge would be greater in hockey, I know the training they do, and it’s second to none, even compared to the GAA hurlers. We’d have club training Tuesday and Thursday, but they’d have been out for an hour-and-a-half beforehand.

“I had to make a choice between the camogie and hockey last year, and it’s camogie for the time being. I’ll have to wait and see.”

Over 25 years ago another dual star had to make a similar decision, and Dublin’s Kevin Moran choose Manchester United.

Catch Emer, while you still can.