Cork camogie champs hope celebration holiday doesn't become another training camp

Cork's camogie champions must wait for holiday as fundraising continues

In attendance are, from left, Shinty representative Ronald Ross, Scotland Camogie/Shinty player Natalie McDonald of Lochaber Camanachd Club, Ireland Camogie/Shinty player Laura Hayes of Cork, and Ireland Camogie/Shinty manager Ger Manley, during the 2026 Hurling/Shinty and Camogie/Shinty launch at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Cork’s All-Ireland winning senior camogie champions may have to wait until the new year for their team holiday as they continue to fundraise.

Ger Manley’s side are hoping to avoid what they did following the 2024 success when they instead put the money towards a training camp the following year.

After this year’s final, Galway manager Cathal Murray hit out at the lack of reward for the finalists and while Cork have received financial support from the likes of the GAA’s Munster Council (€20,000) and sponsors such as Keary’s, there remains a shortfall.

“It’s looking like it'll be the new year before we go anywhere,” said Manley. “It's just the timing. Lots of clubs are supporting us. The girls are doing a lot of stuff themselves.

“Look, we don't have a JP (McManus) to look after us. The camogie board don't have that money in the bank that they can give us either. But look, we're doing our best.” 

Laura Hayes said it’s not ideal to be looking for money following their success. “It’s a pity we have to fundraise for it. It's obviously a lot easier with the hurling that way. God, if we were able to get some of it, it would make a big difference.

“What ended up happening for us in 2024 when we won (the All-Ireland) was by the time we had that money fundraised, and obviously people are so generous with it, we ended up doing it as a training camp.

“That's obviously great, but you do want to go away while you're still celebrating the All-Ireland and the longer it takes, the closer it comes around to the next season.” 

Camogie player of the year nominee Hayes expressed her disappointment at the recent setback for the integration process. “You obviously have ambitions to be a part of it (unified GAA), and that's the scary part of it, where it was going to be ‘27, and now I don't know, has it moved into 30-something?

“I'm 25 years old, and all of a sudden I'm like, ‘Am I even going to be playing when integration happen then?’ And that's kind of a frightening enough thought, to be honest.” 

For the second year in a row, Manley will manage an Ireland squad in the camogie-shinty international against Scotland in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on October 24. On Cork Jazz festival weekend, he and Hayes are hoping the novelty of the game will attract a good crowd.

Manley was circumspect about his future in charge of the county team. His current three-year term concluded with August’s final win over Galway having previously served as a coach with Matthew Twomey.

“I’ve been there five years. They have been brilliant times. They’re great to deal with. A lot of work goes into it and we had a bit of a rollercoaster this year.

“I’m not sure what I’ll do myself. We’ll chat at home and with the management team as well because there’s a team involved. It’s probably a decision I have to make in the next week or two.”