Scariff Ogonnelloe's sister act hoping for Munster glory

Triplets Rachel, Susan and Lynda Daly line out alongside their younger sister Jennifer in Saturday's Munster club senior camogie final against Drom-Inch

A provincial club final is a big occasion for any player, so you can imagine the excitement in the Daly household when 20-year-old triplets Rachel, Susan and Lynda line out alongside their younger sister Jennifer in the Munster club senior camogie final against Drom-Inch in Mallow on Saturday (3pm).

From Killaloe in east Clare, all four will take to the field with Scariff Ogonnelloe as they attempt to dethrone the Tipperary champions.

In their Munster semi-final victory over Inniscarra, goalkeeper Rachel was defended by Susan at full-back, Lynda was selected at midfield while 18-year-old Jennifer played an attacking role.

They have played camogie from a young age, starting with the boys hurling team in Killaloe before moving to nearby Ogonnelloe camogie club, who later combined with Scariff.

Rachel, a third-year science education student in UCC, appreciates the significance of the showdown, saying it will be a special day for them as a family.

“It is the stuff of dreams really for all four of us to be playing in the final. It is what we have trained for. There is no point in not completing it now. Jennifer (first-year) and I are in UCC, and Lynda and Susan (second-year) are studying in IT Carlow. We usually travel home on Wednesdays for training.

“We beat Drom-Inch in the 2019 final, I was sub-goalie that day but Susan, Lynda and Jennifer all started. I made my senior debut as goalkeeper this year so this is the first time all four of us will be starting in a Munster senior club final.”

All of them played an important part in their three-point penultimate round victory over Inniscarra two weeks ago.

“We had to dig that out,” Rachel admits. “We wouldn’t have been happy with our performance against Inniscarra. It took us a while to settle into that game, they had four points on the board before we scored.

“Hopefully we can rectify those mistakes. Aisling Corbett’s free-taking contributed to us getting over the line. She used to be a goalkeeper and has won the Long Puck. We all have great confidence in her, she is a key player for us.”

Drom-Inch are the current titleholders and got past Newcastle West — also by three points — to reach the decider. Rachel believes there will be very little between them.

“It will go down to the wire. Because we defeated them in 2019, they will be looking for revenge. But we will be gunning for them too. They narrowly beat Inagh/Kilnamona in the 2020 final.”

With the possibility of all four sisters joining up with the Clare senior set-up once their club campaigns ends, success, it is hoped, would inspire all teams.

“When we won in 2019, it did drive on teams in Clare at underage. The three of us were on the minor team that year that lost the All-Ireland final to Cork. The club scene is very competitive, so now it is important to drive on the county scene as well.”