BY SEÁN HOLLAND
WITH the O’Duffy Cup staying in Cork, is this the start of a period of dominance for the Rebels? Newcestown’s Ciara O’Sullivan hopes so.
O’Sullivan, who returned to the senior squad this year after missing the 2023 season due to a serious knee injury, came off the bench in the All-Ireland final win (1-16 to 0-16) against Galway last weekend.
This latest triumph secured back-to-back titles for the Rebels and the feeling amongst those in camogie circles is that this team is only getting started. Add in the Cork intermediate’s All-Ireland win, and it highlights the depth of talent in the county. Little wonder the talk of three-in-a-row has already started.
‘Our squad has definitely been building for two or three years, and there are new players in and out each year,’ O’Sullivan explained.
‘The players that are coming through are brilliant. The likes of Aoife Healy and Maeve Murphy, they’ve just slotted in and they've taken over. It's insane. I think there's definitely a high chance that we'll go on and win more in the future, but it won't come without a battle anyway.
‘The weekend was ferocious and we wouldn't be expecting anything less from any of the teams again next year to try and get over the line.’
On a personal level, O’Sullivan is focused on reclaiming a starting spot next season.
‘Yeah, I think that's the goal everyone has to have. You need to have ambition to get on that starting 15. After coming back from my injury, I think I would be happy to be pushing for a starting position next year. But every year is different and you never know how it's going to go, so we just have to wait and see’, the Newcestown star added.
‘With O’Duffy Cup successes in 2023 and ’24, it has set the stage for what could be a golden era in camogie on Leeside. With the blend of youth and experience, and the determination to remain at the pinnacle, Cork's future in camogie seems as bright as ever.
