Kavanagh's star turn helps Rangers to first senior camogie title

Player of the Match, Ciara Kavanagh, was charged with emotion when the final whistle went. At the stage where she was interviewed, she would not have been aware that she would be winning the award. With the tears building up she recalled how this success was achieved.

“Last year we lost the semi-final by a goal to Myshall. We said this week we are not leaving it behind us. We have a brilliant management team and such a big panel of players. So many people love this club so much and we said we were not leaving it behind us this year,” she said.

Kavanagh agreed that the final was finely balanced at the interval. There was a mountain of work still to be done.

“At half-time we were up. We said it had to be our year. We came out, hunted in packs and thankfully, we got over the line. We knew we were good enough. We just had to put in a performance. We said all week not to worry about the result. We knew if we played well we would win today, she said.

Lorraine Bible is one of the senior players on the team. She was playing in her tenth county final. She has seen it all.

“There are some girls who were probably not born when I started playing senior camogie. It has been a long time coming and I have seen players come and go. It is so special for everybody. For past managers, for past players. When I started playing, I was sixteen so it is a long time ago,” the centre forward revealed.

“When you are growing up this is where you want to be so to get the win, I cannot describe it. It is absolutely amazing.” 

Left-half back, Martha Dolan, enjoyed the moment.

“This year we have had more momentum. I just wanted it so much. Maybe even more than they did. We have never won it. It has been a long time coming.”