What does future hold for Lauren Honan and intermediate stars?

The optimum scenario for Homan would be to return to the high functioning senior setup.

Sat, 10 Aug, 2024 - 06:19

Paul Keane

What does the future hold? Lauren Homan has long since given up trying to figure that one out.

The first substitute introduced by Cork in both the 2017 and 2018 All-Ireland senior camogie final wins, she is captain of the intermediates these days.

That wasn't something she saw on her horizon when she was picking up senior medals for fun as a teenager.

"I was young at the time when I was senior, I probably could have taken it a little bit more seriously at the time," shrugged Homan, now 25.

She is being hard on herself, of course. Coming straight out of minor and being the first person the management turned to in subsequent All-Ireland senior finals, when she was surrounded by generational Cork talents, is a remarkable achievement in itself.

She'd like to get back to that level, to senior activity, but more of that later. The bigger concern right now is what lies beyond tomorrow's Glen Dimplex All-Ireland intermediate final for the majority of this Cork group, and opponents Kilkenny.

Her fear is that larger counties won't be able to enter their second teams in the intermediate championship next year, potentially leaving a giant void to fill for players like Homan. Some would naturally have been promoted to senior activity but the majority could be left in limbo.

"I think that the intermediate championship for second teams will be scrapped, apparently," said Homan. "Which would be very disappointing, especially for the younger girls coming through."

The optimum scenario for Homan would be to return to the high functioning senior setup. She operated there between 2017 and 2021 before being released. Another player, after all she'd achieved, might have opted to spit the dummy instead of redoubling efforts at the lower intermediate grade.

"Maybe I felt like there's kind of a point to prove as well," she said. "You've been dropped from the seniors and I feel like I could be a bit stubborn as well! I wanted to prove myself, I wanted to prove that I am more than capable of playing at senior level. I was young at the time. I feel like I've done enough this year, hopefully, to prove that and to get looked at."

That all feels like a long way off, given the enormity of tomorrow's final. Cork were beaten by Galway in the 2022 intermediate final, Homan's first year at the grade, and while it'll be Kilkenny they face this time, it still feels like an opportunity to atone.

"Being in Croke Park is the loneliest place in the world when you lose on All-Ireland final day," said Homan, who will shortly graduate with a Business degree. "I do not want to experience that feeling again."

If Cork can do it, would it be sweeter captaining an All-Ireland winning intermediate team than capturing senior medals as an impact sub?

"This year I think is different, especially after the loss two years ago," said Homan, who struck 1-7 in Cork's semi-final defeat of Offaly. "I feel like it's a bit more emotional this year, it means a lot more to me personally. I've made friends for life, every girl on that team I could call my best friend. It's different when you're surrounded by a family, you could say. And yeah, hopefully if it happens, maybe it will mean a bit more if we win."

It is Kilkenny's second team too so it remains to be seen what the future holds for both sets of players beyond tomorrow's showpiece. It could be the last opportunity for either county to win the title for the foreseeable.

"We've done our homework, we know what we're up against, we know their weaknesses, we know their strengths, we know areas that we can exploit," said Homan. "I'm not going to give away too much but we're confident going into it. You have to believe in yourself and you have to be confident, otherwise there's no hope for you. Look, it will probably go to the bitter end. That's what makes these games so exciting."