Devane feels Tipp aren’t far away says departed Devane
By Stephen Barry
Cáit Devane feels “the sky is the limit” for Tipperary if they can just cross that semi-final hurdle.
Barring one group-stage elimination in 2022, the Premier County have reached the last four of the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship every year since 2018. However, on all seven occasions, that has marked the end of their championship journey.
Devane's own Blue & Gold innings ended after being pipped by one point against a Galway comeback in 2024. The Clonoulty-Rossmore stalwart was approached about returning to the inter-county scene by her clubmate and newly installed Tipp manager James Heffernan but politely declined.
“To be fair to James, yeah, he gave me a call. I was very grateful for him to think of me, to ask me back in, but such is life,” said Devane.
“I'm getting towards the tail end of my career. I'm not done just yet. Don't retire me just yet, but it just wasn't for me. I'll focus my mind on Clonoulty-Rossmore for a couple more years, please God.”
When asked if her response was a firm ‘no’ or a ‘maybe down the line’, Devane clarified: “No, it was a no.”
Having experienced the work being put into Tipp’s All-Ireland pursuit, Devane believes they are closer than ever.
“I don't think that final step is too far away from this group of players, albeit a big step. This year could be the one that gets them there,” she said.
“It's not a mental block because I know the girls and even when I was involved going back the years, we discussed it a lot, that this is what needs to be done to get back to an All-Ireland final.
“But when you're trying to do something that nobody in the group technically has done before, it is very hard. When you look back at the last couple of years, the margins have been so slim that it is a hard one to take.
“But if you can just get over the line, the sky's the limit for this Tipperary team. Winning is a habit and some of them younger girls are coming into the panel knowing nothing but winning in a Tipperary jersey, so that's massive as well.
“The league final win the year before last is going to be massive for this group of players. Winning in Croke Park, that was another milestone.”
Clodagh Quirke and Eimear McGrath are back from injury. Caoimhe Stakelum has been superb for county champions Thurles Sarsfields and the All-Ireland final-bound Ursuline Secondary School, Thurles. Sarah Corcoran put in a strong Ashbourne Cup campaign with UL. The latter pair were part of Tipp’s All-Ireland minor champions two years ago.
“When you're in the habit of winning, hopefully the youth will inspire the rest of the girls,” Devane said.
“The mix is going to be very good this year and I won't be surprised if they do blood a lot of them younger girls. They will push on the rest of the team and inject a little bit of energy into it, so it's a really, really exciting year for Tipperary camogie.
“The competitiveness within the squad should be at its pitch this year. That's what I'd be hoping for.”
Sophie Pembroke scored 0-4 as UCC captured their first Ashbourne title since 2003 on Sunday, although her name didn’t feature on the 35-player Tipp panel named last Friday.
Their National League campaign begins away to Antrim on Sunday. In the championship, Tipp go into a group with Waterford, Cork, and Galway, which carries the safety net of a guaranteed All-Ireland quarter-final.
Devane reckons it’s the “ideal” scenario for new manager Heffernan to test those rising stars.
“We had him with our club camogie going back the last couple of years and there's no better man for the job,” she added.
“He's really well organised. He's really genuine. He has the interests of the players and Tipp camogie at the centre of everything that he'll do.
“From working with him and from knowing him on a personal level, he's really good at bringing people together for the collective good.
“You have a vast background of players coming in and his ability to work and communicate and get everybody singing off the same hymn sheet will be invaluable as the year goes on.”