Blow for Cork as Laura Treacy retires from inter-county camogie

In a blow for Cork Laura Treacy has announced her retirement from inter-county camogie.

The Killeagh star has been a main-frame of the Cork side for more than 15 years and in that time has won six All-Ireland titles and four All-Stars as well as Munster and league titles.

She first joined the Cork team in 2014 when she was a teenager.

“Paudie Murray had me in, when I think back, 16 turning 17 that year. I had two years minor, so I was playing minor that year and had another year to play minor again. It seems like an absolute lifetime ago,” said Laura.

“My first Ireland was in 2014, I was 18 turning 19, and I was a bábóg. I was so small, light in stature, but I was given a job. I remember Matthew Twomey was involved that year, and for the semi-final and final, I remember Matthew and Paudie Murray (team manager) speaking to me.

“I particularly remember marking Ursula Jacob in the semi-final in Thurles. They told me, ‘Ursula Jacob usually gets on x amount of possessions a game,’ – I think it was seven or eight – ‘but she tends to score from them. If you can count it down from seven or eight; you’ve turned her over once, you’ve only seven more. You turned her over again, then you’ve blocked her, now there’s only five more.’” 

Since those beginnings Laura has established herself as one of the key players season after season for Cork. Her ability to read the game is second to none, and from her centre-back position has controlled many a game to ensure the Rebels come out on top.

In 2024, when Cork last won the All-Ireland title, she played a huge part in that success, particularly late on when Galway were threatening to come back.

Laura cleared ball after ball and declared afterwards that win was probably the sweetest of them all.

Speaking about her decision to step aside Cork manager Ger Manley said he was disappointed to see her go and had hoped she would have stayed on this season.

“It’s disappointing to see Laura go, she has had a great innings and is an icon in camogie,” said Manley.

“She has helped bring the standards of the game to huge levels, her professionalism made her an elite player.

“Tactically, Laura was superb, and she was a great team player as well. She played on last year when she had a number of injuries, and it’s disappointing we lost the final as it would have been a great way for her to go.

“But she has won so many and has been around the senior panel for a good few years. For us, as a management, it’s disappointing that she has gone, but I’m delighted that she is going on her own terms.

“Pound for pound, I don't think you'll get a better player, and for me, she’s been one of the best players I have been involved with. She's just so good at reading the game, and she inspires players around her, which is better again.

“The young players look up to her, and her teammates look up to her, and we wouldn’t have won the All-Ireland in 2024 without her. In the last 15 minutes she was exceptional.

“She's been carrying that knee for a bit now, and I’m just delighted to have involved with her. Laura has helped to bring Cork camogie to the level it is at now, and she is one of the reasons why we have been up there.” 

Many of her fellow players have also paid tribute to her, including Hannah Looney, who said: “No words…just a lot of tears. Joined this journey with you in 2012 and a million memories since. You’re now a legend of Cork camogie.”