Cork's Amy Lee feel squad are well prepared as they brace for All-Ireland final

WITH just four days to go until the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship final, Cork goalkeeper Amy Lee looks ahead to the big occasion, and discusses how her and the rest of the squad are feeling.

“I think we're preparing well,” she begins. “I think we're all happy at the moment and it's just about getting over the next couple of training sessions before we go into next weekend.

“We always have great battles against Waterford, [and] I think they always come with massive intensity. Even last year's semi-final, they put it up to us for pretty much all of the game.

“I think just going out now, we just need to keep our heads down, we know they're the next step to winning an All-Ireland so, we’ll have to go out like we've prepared for all the other games and try and get over the line against them as well.” 

With the fact that Cork have failed to win in two successive All-Ireland finals, losing to Kilkenny last year and Galway the year prior, you would expect that will be something on the girls’ minds as they head out for their third final in three years.

“I don't think so, like obviously it's very disappointing losing 2 All-Irelands in a row, even like losing semi-finals, quarter finals, but like every year is a new year, you come out and just have to take it game by game, day by day, training session by training session,” Amy explains.

“You can't be dwelling on what happened last year, you can’t be dwelling on any other year, it's just this year now, this set of players, and this management.” 

Playing in an All-Ireland final is a privilege that few ever receive, but the Na Piarsaigh goalkeeper will do that once more, with the hope of avenging last year’s disappointment. Just how much does it mean to Amy?

I love it. I get great enjoyment out of camogie, I really do. It's just so nice to play,” she says. “It’s so nice to play at this level as well with these girls. Like they're pushing you all the time, like even there in goals, I love getting an old roar at if they think I'm not doing my job properly.

“I love it, they just push me to be way better and like even the standard of coaching we get. Look to be fair, we do get a lot in Cork, in terms of physios now, we've got some of the best hurling coaches, I’ve one of the best goalkeeping coaches around, I can't fault it, so I just I just love it really!

“I think the game [camogie] has definitely progressed. I think [with] the rule changes and stuff that came in a couple of years ago, the game has definitely progressed. The referees are progressing as well, especially at intercounty level. I think there's much more physicality, and less stop-start. It's really coming on to be fair, like in Cork, we're very lucky.

“We’ve a great sponsor in Keary’s for the last two years, we get food after training, like we’ve all the basics, like the pitch was just redone down here in Castle Road, so we can't really complain. We get the majority of what we ask for anyway.”