Amy Corkery back playing in the national league and loving being part of the Fr Mathew's team

Fr Mathew's star Amy Corkery had an amazing basketball season last year.

She more than played her part as her team won both the BIDL League and National Cup, however, more importantly, she got her love and hunger back for the game she loves playing..

Corkery is really excited to play Women’s Division One basketball this coming season with the southside club.

“I really enjoyed playing with my team last year, as we had an incredible group of girls who were not only great teammates, but also so much fun to be around,” Amy said.

“Being part of that squad really changed my perspective on basketball, and it helped me rediscover my love for the sport. 

"The grit, determination and energy the girls brought every day made it such an enjoyable team to play with, both on and off the court.

“There were a few standout moments for me throughout the season. 

"The first was probably winning the National Cup. 

"There’s always such a great buzz around the cup, so it was really special to be on the court for it for the first time and experience that atmosphere.

“Then, going into the BIDL final in Tallaght, we knew exactly what we had to do. 

"We just had to focus on executing our game plan and getting the win. 

"We managed to pull away in the second half, which meant we could relax a little and really enjoy the moment. 

"To top it all off, getting MVP for the game was a really nice way to finish the season personally."

Corkery realised that she had lost sight of why she was playing basketball in the first place two years ago and decided to come down a grade. 

She admits becoming so focused on how many minutes she was getting and what her role was, rather than focusing on the impact she could actually have on the team when she was on the court.

“I’ve probably worked most on the mental side of the game over the last two years. 

"I had lost a lot of my confidence playing at the higher level, so stepping away gave me the opportunity to really work on that and rebuild my confidence as a player.

“Over the last two seasons, I’ve learned to focus much more on what I can bring to the team and enjoying playing the game again, rather than getting caught up in things that are outside of my control."

Two coaches who had a huge impact in Cookery’s playing career were Ciaran O’Sullivan and Niamh Dwyer, as she cited that both coaches gave her the tools in different parts of the her career to make her the player she is today.

“I’ve had the privilege of being coached by two really influential Irish coaches throughout my career.

“During my underage years with Ballincollig, I had Ciaran O’Sullivan, who gave me a really strong foundation in terms of my basketball skills and my understanding of the game.

“As I got older, I had the opportunity to be coached by Niamh Dwyer. 

"There were days when only three or four players would turn up to training, but she always made sure the sessions were structured and that we got as much out of them as possible. 

"She also put a huge emphasis on defence, which I really appreciated because I was never a big scorer. It was great to have a coach, who recognised the value of what I could bring defensively.

“Then getting the opportunity to play alongside Niamh last year was a really special, full-circle moment for me. 

"I’d learned so much from her as a coach, so getting to share the court with her was something I really enjoyed and appreciated."

For the coming season Amy is extremely excited to be back playing at national league level and she is going and using the experience of the last two years to help her new and former teammates.

“This season I’ll be playing with the Fr Mathew's National League team, and I’m really excited to be back playing with the girls and getting the opportunity to step onto the court with them again. 

"Having grown as a player over the last couple of years, I’m looking forward to seeing what I can bring to the team and hopefully continuing to develop.

“Finally, I’d like to thank my parents for all the support they’ve given me throughout my career. 

"They’ve driven all over the country for my games over the years and have always been there, no matter what. 

"They’ve supported me through the highs and the lows."