Déise in a good place to end long wait and break final barrier

ROADBLOCK; Róisín Black of Galway meets Keeley Corbett Barry of Waterford with a shoulder during the Centra National Camogie League Division 1A final match between Waterford and Galway at UPMC Nowlan Park in Kilkenny. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

It is July 1959 since Waterford’s last Munster senior camogie championship title, when they defeated Tipperary.

They reached the 2024 final but were beaten by Cork. They arrived at last year’s decider only for it to fall by the wayside due to the skorts controversy.

They conquered debutants Kerry to get to this year’s showdown, it followed a gigantic extra-time quarter-final battle with Clare in Ennis. Now it's Tipp again.

Having recently contested a first Division 1A league final, which resulted in a narrow loss to All-Ireland champions Galway, Wateford are on the right track.

Manager Mick Boland prefers to come in under the radar, understandable too, as they look to bridge a massive 67-year-gap in Saturday’s showdown in FBD Semple Stadium (throw-in 4.45pm), a double-header with the hurlers of Tipperary and Clare.

Boland, a native of Claughaun (or as he puts it, Éamonn Cregan country), lives in Carrigtwohill.

“No problem at all going to Thurles, it is a good hurling field and we are looking forward to it,” he says, regardless of being outnumbered fan-wise.

“The bit of wet weather is gone, the ground is starting to dry out, it is absolutely brilliant to get out on a summer’s night and go training. I’d say every girl is loving it at the moment.

“It is the first double-header this year for Waterford and I think it is brilliant, 100 percent. The girls want to play on these days. That’s the level they are at.” 

While the league final didn’t go their way, it has made them stronger.

“The first 10 minutes killed us with nerves, we were playing with the breeze. We ended up being beaten by two points. We coughed them up in the first 10 minutes and they were the difference in the end. From there on, it was very competitive. We didn’t have the experience Galway had.

“We are getting to the latter end of competitions now and we are getting to a stage where we want to get experience.

“Eventually, with the young girls coming through, that barrier will burst. Have no doubt about it because from what I can see the girls are not a hundred miles away.

“The problem is when you get to a final, trying to break that barrier.

“We have about 14 players that are under 23. The oldest player is Niamh (Rockett) and then we have other experienced players like Keeley (Corbett Barry) and Beth (Carton).” 

Tipperary are recognised as a team on the rise as well. Munster champions in 2023 and league winners 12 months later, they recorded a sizeable victory over Waterford in the penultimate round of the league.

“That game was a dead rubber, we were already qualified for the final and we gave girls a workout,” Boland explains.

“Tipp got a big win that day. I don’t think it will have any bearing.

“Tipp are very good, they turned over a good Cork team. Cork had them at one stage but they found another gear to get away from them. So, they are a very good, solid side.” 

It will be no-holds-barred, even with Waterford and Tipperary clashing in the All-Ireland championship early next month.

“No holding back. When you get to a final, you are in there to win. Three weeks time is a different competition.

“I don’t think there will be a hell of a lot between the two teams, we know each other very well.

“The field is levelling out. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are five or six teams chasing an All-Ireland this year. Even watching the Leinster final last week, Wexford came from nowhere to beat Dublin (after extra-time). There are banana skins all over the place.” 

Managing injuries is considered to be part and parcel of sporting life.

“We are nursing a couple since before the league final, they are slowly coming back, there are probably one or two yet not back in contact so they probably won’t be available this weekend.

“That’s the nature of the beast, you have injuries everywhere, it is next girl up. I think our panel is stronger now than it ever was and we have back-up. You have to try and balance it out.

“We are in a good place.”