Niamh Carmody: 'It is going to be the greatest day of my life'

Kayleigh Cronin urged perseverance and Kerry's was rewarded in style

Sun, 04 Aug, 2024 - 19:44

Eoghan Cormican

Shortly after the hooter sounded and Kerry’s 31-year famine ended, Kayleigh Cronin was whisked away from the celebrations to collect her player of the match award and to try to put into words what had just been achieved.

Cronin had spoken very different words on the same field 12 months ago. They weren’t words of delight or delirium. They are words forever burned into the memory of her teammate and captain Niamh Carmody.

“The one thing I remember from last year when we were on the pitch after the final whistle went, Kayleigh went around to all of us and said, ‘We’re going to go again’,” Carmody recalled of the team’s second successive All-Ireland final defeat.

Kerry's Ciara Murphy, Eilis Lynch, Kayleigh Cronin, Katie Brosnan and Ciara O'Brien celebrate winning

“We knew that we were going to lose one or two people, but I knew in my heart that a lot of us would come back. We knew we weren’t finished last year.

“Once we found out that management were staying on, I don’t think anyone was going to step away because when we show up at training, we’re just a phenomenal bunch of girls.

“The talent that is in this group is just phenomenal. I knew after last year that the majority of us would be staying on to give this another shot and I’m delighted we did.”

They persevered. Their perseverance finally paid off. A 12-point win to capture All-Ireland title No.12 they’ve waited so long for.

“This group has been together for the last five years. After the blows of the last few years, it was just phenomenal to get up those steps,” Carmody continued.

“It’s going to be the greatest day of my life – I’d say forever. It’s just fantastic. I can’t put it into words what it means for us.”

Carmody’s forward colleague Danielle O’Leary wondered if ultimate glory would ever happen for this group. The 2022 Meath loss could be boxed away into the ‘learning’ category, but when it was then followed by their submergence beneath a blue wave last August, she questioned whether they’d ever visit the winners enclosure.

“There are good days and there are bad days, thoughts coming into your head saying, is this ever going to happen or is this ever going to come true?

“At the end of the day, it comes down to trusting in yourself and trusting each other. So, I think it was just pure resilience, time, and patience. And like, of course, you have doubts from time to time, but you’ve just got to believe at the end that you’ll get there,” O'Leary remarked.

They are there now. Finally.

“It is a dream come true. Just pure relief at the final whistle. It’s such a dream of yours, that if you’ve been dreaming since you were eight years old it is actually hard to believe that it has finally come true.”