Bump in the road could be launching point for Cork
Hannah O'Donoghue of Kerry in action against Dara Kiniry of Cork. Picture: ©INPHO/Natasha Barton
"It's just a bump in the road," says Dara Kiniry. That's the optimism of youth but also someone who knows her Cork football history.
Next year, for the first time since 2003, the Cork ladies footballers will play in the second tier of the National League. They were relegated after winning just one of seven games and finishing second from bottom of Division 1. Their only win was against the also relegated Galway in the opening round, played in a January storm in Bishopstown.
"The league was definitely tough," says Kiniry, the young Cork fullback.
"It's not a nice feeling at all. It's definitely big in Cork. It's never something you want to be, a Division 2 team. It's on us to go from here."
In March, Cork were dealt the triple blow of sisters Ciara and Doireann O'Sullivan, along with Roisín Phelan, retiring from inter-county football. Relegation was a jolt. The trio with 18 All-Ireland medals between them, could have been the suspension which tempered it.
"They were such pillars of the team," says Kiniry.
"The last few years, they've been bringing us all on with them, giving us all the advice that we need; they're all still there if we need any advice, we're all still great friends.
"I came in a few years ago and the likes of Ciara, Doireann and Roisín were girls I was watching winning All-Irelands when I was younger, and they were my heroes - that was mad.
"They have a lot of winning done, there's a good few years on a lot of them; they might have started playing with Cork when they were 17 or 18. They definitely gave their all to Cork.
"It's definitely tough coming into a year when you know you don't have the same group as last year. There's loads of new young girls willing to come in and work hard on it. The minor teams have been quite successful over the last few years. This is probably the time to bring a few of them up too."
Cork did bounce back from relegation by reaching the Munster final. They had a "good cut off Kerry" but could not stop the Kingdom winning their first provincial title since 2017.
For the All-Ireland championship, Cork have been drawn in a group with Laois and Galway. It's a chance for these young players to make this team their own.
"Girls coming into the panel now are getting a load of chances," says Kiniry.
"It's hard to get your head around that at first but then you've got to decide, 'This is what I'm going to do'. College football as well has brought a lot of people on. I know it's definitely helped me develop.
"I was very afraid when I came in first. It's definitely a change to be starting more often this year than I was last year. There's big boots to fill with Roisín Phelan and Eimear Meaney out of the fullback line."
Kiniry has three older sisters, none of whom played football growing up in Lisgoold. Her family is a microcosm of ladies football's growing popularity.
"I'm the youngest and the sportiest," she says.
"There's 16 years to my nearest sister. There's definitely a lot more resources at training that wouldn't have been there when they were my age. Maybe they would have been to the same level as me, I suppose we'll never know. Our club team wouldn't have had a team when I was younger. That helped me along."
Angela Walsh, a fullback like Kiniry and winner of nine All-Irelands in football and three in camogie, was in the same school year as her sister. Two years before Walsh won her first football All-Ireland and the county set off on its run of 11 titles in 12 seasons, Cork were playing in Division 2. That bump in the road could be a launching point
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