Saoirse McCarthy confident Cork can bounce back from All-Ireland camogie final loss

A number of weeks on from Cork’s Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior camogie final defeat to Galway and the hurt still lingers for Saoirse McCarthy.

The Leesiders were denied a historic three-in-a-row by their old rivals by a single point in Croke Park, 1-14 to 1-13.

“It's just still heartbreaking,” the forward says to The Echo at the launch of the 50th anniversary of the GAA Club in MTU Cork.

“It's still very raw and to be honest, it'll probably be over the winter before we actually sit back and analyse it. Look, I suppose it was our fifth final in-a-row. We don't become a bad team overnight and I think we can be very proud of how we played, especially in the second half.

“Galway probably outfought us in the first 25 minutes. That could be coming from, look, I'm not making excuses, like we hadn't played a competitive 60-minute game all year.

“We could have been a little bit ring-rusty that way. That's probably something we'd be disappointed with. We didn't give up though. Like, we fought to the very end and we could have won it.” 

While the campaign ended the way no one wanted it to end from a Cork camogie point of view, it was still a successful season landing the Division 1A league and Munster silverware.

“I suppose in years to come it'll mean something,” McCarthy on winning two trophies in 2025.

“But you're only as good as your last game. So, look, they're consolation prizes at this stage. We want to win as many All-Ireland titles as we can and that's what being involved with Cork camogie is all about.

“You just want to win every game. So, look, I suppose the past is the past, it's all about the future now.” 

Ger Manley’s two-year term as boss is now up following the conclusion of the season. He’s currently mulling over his future having served as a selector and a coach under Matthew Twomey before landing the high-profile job.

“We won the All-Ireland last year in Ger’s first year in charge. I think he's a very personal person. He's a great manager and the fact that he will help you with anything, it doesn't matter whether your car is broken down or he’d always want to know how you're doing at work and things like that in your personal life. So, I suppose he sees the person beyond the player as well.

“He's a very good manager, to be honest. It’ll be up to him if he wants to remain in charge. If he doesn't, then, look, there are no hard feelings."

Regardless of who is in charge for the 2026 season, Cork will be expected to challenge for every major honour again. McCarthy, who plays her camogie with Courcey Rovers, has no doubt regarding her side’s mental strength to bounce back.

“We’ll pick ourselves up, no doubt about that. There's great character in our dressing room. We'll never be far away, but it's just about going again.

“We won the league this year for the first time since 2013, which was, you know what, looking back, it was a good achievement.

“We just wanted to lay down a marker and say that we're going to go after every game and we did that.

“Our average winning margin in the championship this year was around 20 points. We didn't become a bad team overnight.

“We have a really, really good group and we're all best friends. It's just hard when you don't get over the line. But, look, we've been here before and we'll go again.”