The management team of St Ibars senior and junior camogie teams – Denis Kelly, Paudie MacMahon and Simon Donohue – talk of the journey so far, and what they are hoping to achieve for 2007.
The management team of St Ibars senior and junior camogie teams consists of Denis Kelly, Paudie MacMahon and Simon Donohue. This is thie first year at the helm and, after some convincing, speak here of their goals for the season ahead and why they got involved !
Lads can I ask you why you decided to take this job ?
We feel that the St Ibars club has enough skilled players, and players with great determination and pride, to win more than they have. Also we want to promote the game of camogie and see that the potential that is here is capitalized on. Needless to say, we feel that the girls have what it takes to be winners and we are hoping with our influence they can gain their just rewards.
What is the goal for the season ?
I think that seeing as things didn’t go well for the team in the last while, we are really hoping that firstly we get back into a semi final. I think we have to take each game one at a time and continue to build. I suppose looking a little further, we want to get back into a county final, where we feel we should be. Aside from the winning, we want to restore pride in the St Ibars.
What is it really like training the St Ibars squad?
Well where to start ! I (Paudie) want to go on record as saying that at the start it was an absolute nightmare ! And that’s no joke. Since the league game against Ferns however, the girls have really stepped it up a pace and have started to show great improvement. Also we feel that once the issue of time-keeping was resolved, that is, they all have discovered that training at 7.30 means ready for training for 7.30 sharp and on the field, it has been less of a battle ! But seriously, there is great craic in the squad and a nice atmosphere. There are a few young players coming up through the ranks and it is nice to see all the girls getting on and integrating well. They are a very dedicated bunch and we hope that we can meet their expectations !
Moving into the wider field of GAA, who would you regard as the best present playing sportsman out there?
Simon : I would have to say Joe Deane of Cork.
Denis : I think Ken McGrath of Waterford would be my choice.
Paudie : I am going with Dan Shanahan of Waterford.
If you were asked to predict what two counties would be in this years hurling All-Ireland, who would you go for ?
Simon : I am going to pick Limerick and Wexford !
Denis : I think it has to be Waterford and Galway
Paudie : Yes I reckon it will be a Galway Waterford decider.
Is there anything else you would like to add at this time !
We hope that first and foremost the girls are enjoying playing the game of camogie, enjoying the trainings, and also the craic. At the end of the day it’s a sport and if you don’t enjoy the game you are playing, well then winning counts for nothing. However, we need to emphasis at this stage that after winning round one of the championship, it is just one game and before we get to a county final there will be a lot of training and winning to be done. It takes hard work and dedication from all to get there and lets hope it all goes as planned.