Echo Women in Sport Award: Gifted Cahalane sisters delivered a double on one weekend

To win a one senior county title is an achievement, but to win two in one weekend is beyond any player’s dreams.

But that’s exactly what Meabh, Orlaith and Kate Cahalane did recently.

They were part of the Éire Óg senior ladies football team that won the Cork Credit Unions senior championship title at MTU on a Saturday.

The following day, they were back at MTU, this time in the colours of St Finbarr’s, as they helped them retain their SE Systems Cork senior camogie title.

On Sunday, they were joined by their sister Grainne, to make it a great weekend for the Cahalane sisters.

For winning the two titles in just over 24 hours Meabh, Orlaith and Kate are the winners of The Echo Women in Sport monthly award for October.

The sheer joy at the end of the football game is a day that all those present won’t forget for some time as the Ovens side won the title, after a replay, in their fifth final in a row.

The replay was an epic and it was no great surprise to see it go to extra time before the Ovens team won by 1-12 to 1-8, beating Aghada.

However, for the Cahalane sisters there was no time to celebrate as they had to prepare for the camogie final on the Sunday.

Reflecting on the games, starting with the draw against Aghada and what it meant for the three of them and their clubs, Orlaith said: “I suppose we were probably disappointed to draw that day because we thought we probably could have won.

“It kind of came into my mind that they're either going to play it during the week or the day before the camogie, which was probably the worst outcome that could have happened.

“It was good to have the three of us in it together so we could chat about it. Whereas if you were by yourself, you wouldn't really know what you're doing during the week and you feel you're missing out on other sessions when you're going to the other ones.”

A week later and the sides are level at the end of full-time and all know it’s extra-time, so are they just thinking about what’s happening now or does the camogie come into play as well?

“Leading into Saturday's game we were just focusing on football. We weren't really thinking about the camogie, you just leave it out of your head. We were glad to get a draw and take it to extra time and you're just focusing on what was ahead of you for the next 10-20 minutes.”

At the end of that they have won the football for the first time and your instinct is to go celebrate, but there was no night out for the Cahalane sisters, with the camogie the following day.

“I think it was as much relief as delight we won,” added Orlaith, “In the last few finals before that it was disappointment after disappointment. We were so happy and obviously it was like a relief getting over the line this year.

“But then when you go into dressing room after it is probably different to the others as you had another job to do the next day.”

So thought had to quickly turn to Sunday and getting themselves right for another big game.

“We've done it for championship games before, as have others, but I suppose it’s different when it’s two finals,” said Meabh, “especially getting over the line this year with the football was unbelievable. Then you to into the dressing room and start to focus on the following day. 

There's only so much you can do to get the body right, it was more so about getting the mind right that we knew we had another job to do.

“Catherine’s were going to bring a ferocious game and battle, which they did and it was probably only the last 10 minutes of that game that got us over the line.

“Only then were we able to celebrate both games, but it's probably only over the last couple of weeks that you really look back on it and think of all the hard work that's gone in the last seven or eight years to get to that stage with both teams and we're just so lucky to have won two finals in the one weekend.”

Kate is the youngest of the seven Cahalane siblings, Damien, Conor, Jack and Grainne being the others, and at just 18 has won two county medals, something it took her sisters a bit of time to do.

“They're all really good role models and they all give me really good advice being the youngest,” said Kate. “We grew up playing sports and we stuck with GAA as we had people like our dad (Niall) playing before us.”

Kate did also admit that when they would be practicing at home that they wouldn’t be the softest on you.

“Ya you’d definitely get a few pucks, off Jack especially, when we’d be hitting around at home, but all that stands to you.

“It's kind of hard playing both codes to be fair, when you have Meabh and Orlaith driving you on it makes it easier, because you know that they have to do it as well.”

SPECIAL

Grainne was also part of the camogie side that won, making it a great weekend for all the sisters.

“It was definitely a great weekend for all four of us and to have all the family there supporting us as well.”

When they are not playing and sitting down at home Orlaith said that GAA is nearly always the topic of conversation.

“Yeah, it probably is, and it wouldn't even be about our own games. 

Sometimes it would be about watching games on TV and stuff, it never switches off.”

“We all definitely enjoy it, it makes it a lot easier when we're all doing it and we all kind of push each other and just make sure we try to get better and better,” added Kate.

All three also had a special word for their parents, Niall and Ailish.

“Winning medals and lifting the cup and things like that is for them as well because they've seen the disappointments along the way. They've been a huge influence on us and we're so lucky that they're supporting us all the time,” explained Meabh.