Hannah Looney: 'If that would have happened to us last year we would have collapsed'

Hannah Looney reckons that a significant reason for what she considers an increased camaraderie this season is the impact of Covid-19 on the potential for socialising as the squad went through a major transition

Cork’s Hannah Looney celebrates after the All-Ireland semi-final win over Kilkenny. Picture: INPHO/James Crombie

Tears of joy flowed from Hannah Looney after John Dermody blew his whistle for the last time at Croke Park last Sunday week.

Cork had just gotten over the line by a point against Kilkenny, as they had done so many times in previous finals but in that moment, this semi-final victory felt just as good.

Looney had a crucial role in Linda Collins’ injury-time winner against the Cats. It was she who won possession back after the sliotar had slipped from Grace Walsh’s grasp from Amy Lee’s free, drawing four defenders before laying off to the supporting Fiona Keating whose pass to Collins set up the dramatic win.

“We were just glad to come out of it but oh my God, what a game. The buzz was unbelievable when Linda sent that point over,” Looney said.

Collins is the captain and had been left out of the side. The reaction of her teammates, while a natural one for any match-winner, spoke of a real bond.

Looney reckons that a significant reason for what she considers an increased camaraderie this season is the impact of Covid-19 on the potential for socialising as the squad went through a major transition and a number of young players were introduced.

Looney points to the reaction to Mary O’Connell’s third-quarter goal in the semi-final, and the Kilkenny whirlwind it prompted as a four-point lead turned into a two-point deficit with the clock ticking down.

“It says a lot of the character in the squad and how united we are now, how much we will fight now. I think if that would have happened to us last year we would have collapsed maybe.

“When I think of it, I would barely have spoken to Fiona Keating and Ciara O’Sullivan last year and Covid would have been the main reason for that. But this year, we can go for a coffee, or have a chat and get to know one another, and I think you can see that now in how we are playing and working for one another.

“Everyone was smiling, everyone was buzzing to be here, to be a part of it, to be playing for Cork camogie. There’s such a great energy around the place that mightn’t have been there the last year or two.

“Now, everyone would do that extra bit and that’s a key bit. In the past as players, we have gone out as individuals. We have been criticised for that over the past year or two. That’s out the window. It’s all about the team. It’s all about Cork camogie.

“There’s something special there. It will mean nothing if we don’t get over the line (against Galway) but it was a big monkey off the back getting over Kilkenny.”

The 24-year-old chemical engineer in Carlow MSD lives in Kilkenny, which means she may have had to keep the head down a bit in the last fortnight, but she is enjoying the build-up, admitting that she missed it.

“If I’m looking back, particularly with the camogie, I wonder did I take it for granted. I joined the panel in 2014 and I was in All-Ireland finals straight through until 2019. There’s something extra special about this one now because of the last two years. So I will relish it, I will take it all in.

“But at the same time you can’t get carried away with the occasion. There’s still a job to do.” She is cognisant of representing Killeagh along with Laura Treacy and Chloe Sigerson, and thankful for all the east Cork outfit have done for her. It is the club of Mary O’Connor, of Joe Deane and Mark Landers.

“I always have such a soft spot for Killeagh camogie, especially as I’m not actually from Killeagh, I’m from Aghada and I joined them when I was 11 or 12. They’ve been my biggest supporters ever since. There’ll be some buzz now with the three of us going up and we hope now that we go out there and do Killeagh camogie proud.”

The final pairing is a repeat of the tumultuous semi-final of 2019, one of the great games of the modern era, where Galway got over the line by a point before claiming their third All-Ireland title.

“We will always focus on our game primarily but obviously Galway are a brilliant team with brilliant hurlers. At times that has nearly been their problem, trying to work out what 15 to pick, they have such a strong squad and skill in that camp. They’ve a different style to Kilkenny so it’ll take a bit of prep to get that right.

“They beat us in the League semi as well (in extra time) but I think we’ve learned a lot from that. It’s going to be another titanic battle and we just hope we’ll be getting over the line.”