Rebels ‘live for the moment’
Cork defeated Tipperary on Sunday for the second consecutive year, but O’Driscoll is keen to dampen talk of a hat-trick of titles.
“Nobody was saying anything about next year, not to me anyway.
“It’s important to enjoy the here and now — and live for the moment.
“The 2006 All-Ireland is to be enjoyed now.
“When the county championship is over we can sit down and think about the future,’’ she added.
O’Driscoll was a member of the Cork team which failed to Tipperary in three consecutive seasons, the finals of 1999 (which marked the Premier county’s first title success) and 2000, and the semi-final the following year, in a replay.
Then in 2002, Cork got back on top, when she was one of the stars in the final, scoring 3-2 and after losing the 2003 final she bowed out.
That marked the end of her involvement until John Cronin persuaded her to come on board for last year’s campaign.
“He approached me and asked me if I would do the physical training. We hadn’t worked together before but he would have know me from coaching school teams and through my involvement in PE.’’
The partnership has been a fruitful one, with two titles in two years and the promise of continuing success with a largely young panel of players.
And she paid a tribute to Cronin for his leadership and guidance.
“John is a quiet man but he gets the work done. He knows the Cork camogie scene well, having been very successful in managing minor teams and he has a great rapport with the girls.
“I’d say he thinks a lot about the game when he is out farming. I know from experience, having often got a call from him about some matter. That is the way he operates.”
Reflecting on Sunday’s victory, she admitted to being surprised by Tipperary’s low tally.
“If anybody had said before the game that they would only score four points you would not have believed them. They always produce a goal or two and that was always a possibility on Sunday.
“It was a very low-scoring game, but it was much the same story in our earlier games this year. We met them four times and we won three. The game they won was in the last game in the Round Robin, but by then we were both assured of our places in the All-Ireland final.’’
As she pointed out after the game on Sunday, the outstanding play of the Cork backs had been a major factor in limiting Tipperary’s attack. Five of the girls played in positions they occupied in the second half of last year’s final and Catriona Foley took over at full-back from Rosarie Holland (currently touring Australia).
“Catriona ‘did’ her cruciate two years ago and she came back into the panel last season. She made steady progress and improved through the year.
“The girls are all very intelligent players and all very good team players. And, it’s not just what they do on the field. They talk a lot between themselves off the field and, as we saw on Sunday, that paid a rich dividend.’’
While John Cronin feels that it would have made more sense to play the camogie final as the curtain-raiser on Sunday (to the U-21 decider), Fiona takes the opposite view.
“It’s traditionally camogie’s day. The senior final should always be the second game,’’ she said.
The twinning of the two finals will be repeated next year. GAA President Nickey Brennan points out that it has been agreed on a two-year trial basis.
However, Camogie Association President Liz Howard has made it clear that she would like to see it being a permanent arrangement.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
