Cork Camogie: Izzy O'Regan back in contention as she returns from injury

There is still a couple of weeks to go before their first game as the Cork senior camogie panel step up their training ahead of their league opener against Waterford.

While there will be familiar faces in the panel it also is one that will see several changes, with a number of players gone for a variety of reasons. As well as those heading abroad others won’t be available through retirement from inter-county camogie and other reasons.

“We knew that Aoife Healy, Hannah Looney and Kate Wall were going to Australia so would be out,” said Cork manager Ger Manley. “But there are a few others that have stepped away as well. Laura Treacy has retired and as I said before she is a big loss to the squad. Laura was a natural leader and always led by example on and off the pitch.

“Cliona Healy is gone as unfortunately she has a few niggling injuries and has stepped away.

“Along with them, Sorcha McCartan is also heading away and Orlaith Mullins is currently abroad through college, but we expect her back in a few months.

“The Mackey sisters, Pamela and Katrina, are also missing for now and all the Barrs players are currently not training with us as we give them a much-needed break after their club campaign.

“So we will wait and see who we will have available for our opening league game at the start of February against Waterford.

We will be using the league to look at a lot of new faces and see how they get on and to fair to others, like the Barrs players, we won’t be rushing them back in.” 

With so many players leaving the squad, replacements have been brought in.

Coming back into the panel are the likes of Hayley Ryan and Cliona O’Callaghan from Blackrock, with the former being joint top-scorer in the club championship. O’Callaghan also impressed and also had a high-scoring return from midfield for her club.

Others currently in the squad include the likes of Orlaith Cremin, Isobel Sheehan, Avril Cashman, Niamh McNabola, and Amy Sheppard.

BUZZING

“We also have Izzy O’Regan back from her ACL and it’s great to see her back out there training. She was a loss to us last year and Izzy is also buzzing to get back playing games.

“With some of the players we have lost it’s great to see her back in contention and ready to go.” 

Libby Coppinger had also confirmed she is only playing camogie this season and Manley said that this made it easier from a training and games perspective.

“I would also encourage and support any player that is good enough to play both codes if they want to. We have been doing this for years and it would have continued this season had it happened.

But it does make it easier for us, and for the ladies footballers, as we both can sort training and games knowing we don’t have to worry about clashes.

“Should it arise again that a player or players decide to play football as well we will deal with it and manage them as we have in other years. For now we can drive on with our own plans and take it from there.”