It’s Galway’s day at last

Galway 1-9  Kilkenny 0-7

 AT long, long last . . . Galway, after years of heartbreak and disappointments, are All-Ireland senior camogie champions and, all of a sudden, the tears of yesteryear have been wiped away. Let’s say it again: Galway are the 2013 All-Ireland senior camogie champions. And deservedly so.

There was something succinctly poignant about this victory and the abiding memory may well be of the county’s greatest warrior, Therese Maher, collapsing to the ground at the final whistle. Head in hands. Overcome by relief, joy and, ultimately, euphoria. Her sixth All-Ireland final. Her first success. She was a woman reborn.

It just summed up the effort and toil that had been exerted over the years by her – and all in Galway camogie – to get the county to this point. For 16 long seasons, campaigns built on sweat, blood and, yes, those tears, had been pursued in search of a dream and it was somewhat fitting that Maher’s team-mates and the management would descend upon her when the long shrill sounded. Poignant, moving, beautiful.

There were others too who must surely have thought to themselves if this day would ever come. Those like Susan Earner, Therese Manton, Sarah Dervan, Sinead Cahalan, captain Lorraine Ryan, Niamh Kilkenny, Emma Kilkelly, Brenda Hanney and Ann Marie Hayes. Some have more miles left on the clock than others but, as they have come to realise, few victories are won by sentimentality. If any.

Arguably, the most relieved set of players will be those who lined out in Galway’s only other senior win in 1996. For almost two decades, they have held the baton aloof, urging the next generation to take up the mantle. It’s passed on now. New names. New heroes.

Bar one. Manager Tony Ward has the distinction of managing both of Galway’s All-Ireland winning senior sides while, in front of a crowd of 15,063 at Croke Park on Sunday, he also pulled off another remarkable double when leading the intermediates to a national victory.

If he was a Premiership soccer manager, Ward would be worth his weight in gold but, in many respects, it was always going to take a highly regarded figure like the Sarsfields man to cajole Galway camogie back to the promised land. For he is to Galway camogie what Alex Ferguson was to Manchester United. A perfect fit.

For all intents and purposes, this was the ‘big one’ – for all concerned. Ward did not have to – his place in the pantheon of Galway camogie was well and truly secure – but in returning to the post he put himself, and his reputation, on the line.

Just to put this into perspective. Galway had only claimed one O’Duffy Cup win in 15 previous attempts prior to Sunday and this included losing three finals between 2008 and 2011. The weight of history lay heavily on both the management’s and players’ shoulders.

In the end, though, they made light of it and the Tribeswomen were worth every bit their five-point win in the 2013 decider. Indeed, outside a few pockets of Kilkenny dominance at intermittent stages, they owned this game.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.