Cooney says mindset of players needs to be right

Talking Sport with Stephen Glennon

Galway captain Heather Cooney says one of the key areas the Tribeswomen will have to improve on – if they are to launch a successful bid for All-Ireland senior camogie honours this year – is their ability to adapt to match day scenarios as they unfold.

According to the St Thomas’ player, this has been an area of the game they have struggled with since their last O’Duffy Cup win in 2013 and she feels when it has come down to the business end of the championship, it has been this element of play – be it a change up in style or tactics – that other teams seemed to have the edge.

“That is a good question,” says the Galway captain. “I suppose, it depends on what team you are playing. Every year, we have been there or thereabouts but just not coming out on top [in the big games]. I suppose, certain teams play in certain ways and once or twice they have got the better of us at a crunch stage of the match because we have not adapted quickly enough.

“Again, it depends on the team we are playing and I think this year we are working really hard on counteracting things like that. Along with, of course, focusing on ourselves and making sure that teams don’t get the chance to get on top of us. I know it will happen on any given day, but you work hard to stay focused on yourself and better yourself in whatever way you can.”

While you could point to passages of play from recent years to reinforce Cooney’s assertion, it is a moment before throw-in ahead of the 2015 All-Ireland decider against Cork that particularly stands out.

As the teams lined up for the traditional handshake, the Cork players all but pulled the arms off their Galway rivals in a show of strength, defiance and intimidation. Some of the Galway players would admit afterwards this show of aggression caught them off guard and, to a certain extent, perhaps, threw them off their game. They lost 1-13 to 0-9.

When the Leesiders tried on the same tactic in last year’s All-Ireland final against Kilkenny, though, they got their comeuppance as they were met by a Cats’ side who were more than ready. The pre-match custom may have threatened to boil over to a brawl – it went viral! – but the Cats had stood their ground and they duly won their title.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.