Meabh Cahalane relishing Munster arena as Cork begin title defence in Thurles

Cork captain Meabh Cahalane said her side can’t wait for Sunday’s knock-out game against Tipperary in the Munster camogie championship at FBD Semple Stadium, Thurles, throw-in 2pm.

The game is a double header with the same two counties playing the men’s championship at 4pm, and the sold-out signs went up on this fixture some time ago.

Meabh and her teammates are hoping the Cork crowd will be in early to help drive them on to victory, as they bid to make up for a poor league campaign.

Cork are the defending champions, having claimed the provincial crown in 2024, with no final played last year due to the skorts-v-shorts issue.

Last year’s decider was called off the night before the Rebels were due to meet Waterford in the decider, and with a tight fixture calendar, the final was never played.

That’s confined to history now as Meabh again leads the side as captain for a second successive season.

Speaking at the launch of the Munster championship, also held at Semple Stadium, the St Finbarr’s star acknowledged that Cork’s league campaign fell well short of expectations but insisted it has provided important learnings ahead of championship.

“Upon reflection, it was a very different league campaign to last year,” said Meabh. “At the start, going in against Waterford, there were only two or three of our more established players, which is tough because there are players who hadn’t played for Cork at that level and were coming up from U23.

“It was great they got game time, but it’s a huge step up and probably a tough couple of weeks to find their feet and get into the rhythm of training.”

Cork managed just one league victory and one draw, narrowly avoiding relegation, but Meabh felt performances improved as the competition went on.

“The Kilkenny game was probably our best performance. We didn’t perform in the second half against Tipperary – we could have come out with the win but could also have lost, so a draw was probably fair. There was disappointment again the last day against Galway.

Maybe it shows the amount of work we have to do. For a team that has lost a few key players, we need to find our rhythm and get a bit of momentum. 

"But we can’t look beyond the Tipp game, and that’s what we’re preparing for at the moment.”

The league was vital for those new faces.

“It nearly was the opposite last year when you had 16, 17 or 18 players with All‑Ireland experience. This year, not even a third of the team had that, so you must be patient. The girls are eager to learn, and hopefully the learnings from the league will stand to them.”

Meabh said last season’s narrow loss to Galway in the All-Ireland final remains a motivation for the squad.

“Last year was so disappointing, losing by a point, and we probably didn’t perform to our potential in the first half. But you couldn’t say we didn’t show the fighting character of the group in the second half, even when we were down to 14 players. That’s something we can draw on this year.”

IN PURSUIT

While Cork start their Munster journey in Thurles, she was clear about the wider championship landscape.

“This year, we’re the hunters. Galway are the standard‑bearers. 

Even from what we saw in the league, they’re balanced, very physical, move the ball fast, and get their dangerous players on it.”

Meabh was also delighted to see the four (hurling, camogie, ladies football, and men’s football) championships all being launched together at Thurles a few weeks ago.

“Camogie has come on leaps and bounds since I started with Cork in 2015. Physicality is different, players are more athletic, and having the four codes here together is a step in the right direction.

“We want to be playing in front of big crowds, in that heat of Munster championship, in front of 30 or 40 thousand people.”

The occasion also has a strong family appeal for the Cahalane household, with Méabh’s brother Damien involved with the hurlers and her partner Tim O’Mahony also part of the panel.

“To have us playing on the same day, at the same venue, under the one roof, is brilliant, not just for families but for clubs too.”

But for now, their focus is firmly on Tipp and nothing else.

“We’re really going out to win the Munster championship. That’s what we train for. Tipp were very impressive against us in the league, especially their work rate in the forward line. But that’s what you want, Munster camogie is flying, and there’s real bite in it now.”

The Cork team to play Tipperary is: Amy Lee (Na Piarsaigh), Meabh Murphy (Ballinora), Libby Coppinger (St Colums), Meabh Cahalane (St Finbarr’s); Izzy O’Regan (Ballygarvan), Laura Hayes (St Catherine’s), Ava Fitzgerald (Sarsfields); Orlaith Cremin (Éire Óg), Millie Condon (Ballinascarthy); Emma Murphy (Glen Rovers), Orlaith Cahalane (St Finbarr’s), Saoirse McCarthy (Courcey Rovers); Hayley Ryan (Blackrock), Sorcha McCartan (St Finbarr’s), Ava McAuliffe (Castlemartyr).