Amy O'Connor's camogie year continues on a high

CORK Camogie star Amy O'Connor is having the time of her life on the camogie fields and the awards and accolades just keep on coming. Recently, Amy was in the spotlight again as she picked up the 96FM/C103 Rochestown Park Hotel Monthly GAA award. 

It has been a remarkable last few years for the free scoring forward as she hit the headlines for her scoring feats with Seandún in the SE Systems County Championship and then on the greatest stage of all at Croke Park on All Ireland Final Day.

Three quick fire second half goals in Cork's glorious triumph ensures the St Vincents star a place forever more in the annals of Cork camogie. 

Ahead of this weekend's county semi final against Cloughduv at Castle Road ,Amy has also been dreaming about further glories at domestic level.

She scored 2-1 in Seandúns final win of 2021 against Inniscarra and twelve months ago was the name on everybody's lips again after firing 2-8 in a cracking decider against Sarsfield's. 

Now the city division are back at the business end of the championship and if they triumph at the weekend, they will be within an hour of a joust at a sensational three in a row.

Amy's All Star Award is surely already engraved and she is on the shortlist of three with her colleague Saoirse McCarthy and Waterford's Beth Carton for the Player of the Year - the winner of which will be announced at the PwC camogie banquet at Croke Park On November 4.

Meantime, after being presented with the 96FM/C103 Rochestown Park Hotel award, Amy was glad to take a bit of downtime to reflect on all that has gone on in recent months.

"Yes a lot has happened during the summer months. From a Cork point of view I think the wins over Kilkenny and Galway were huge for this group of players on the way to the Final - these results certainly got the monkey off our back. 

"Even though there was a lot of talk beforehand about us being favourites going into the Waterford game, I don't think the players felt the pressure", reflects Amy.

"This year we had done a lot of work on sports psychology with Michelle O'Connor and no matter what happened in the lead up or on the pitch, this group was not phased. 

"We always stuck to the process and repaed rich rewards for all that work with Michelle. Even with the train breaking down on the way to Croke Park, we sharing the bus with random people and arriving late, we kept our focus ahead of that quarter final.

"In the semi final against Galway I felt we were always in control of the match, even though the scoreline probably didn't reflect that -. Everybody was very determined that day to end the cycle of bad results against them"

So to the decider and that never to be forgotten start to the second half.

"We set our stall out at half time so that the game wasn't over so we really went after the third quarter again. It was a huge relief to get the immediate good start. 

"We were very ruthless on the day - at times there were opportunities when the ball could go over the bar, but we took the goal chances. I don't think it would have mattered who we played on the day - because we had huge determination going into the game to produce a performance of that level."

Homecomings are always special nights for Cork All-Ireland winning teams - Amy and her colleague certainly have cherished memories of a night to last in the time tunnel.

"Quite simply incredible - I'm very grateful to my club St Vincent's especially for the marvellous welcome - it was a very special night."

To conclude a word from Amy on the man who masterminded the success - the departing team manager Matthew Twomey.

"He is brilliant to deal with and will be a huge loss. It didn't come as a shock to us players and we knew it was coming. 

"Matthew has given his life and soul to camogie for many years. He just could not give any more. 

"We are so delighted that he was able to go out on a high."