Tipp can look to Clonoulty perseverance for inspiration

By Shane Brophy

If there is a man who understands what is takes to break glass-ceilings it is Tipperary senior camogie manager James Heffernan.

This will be his first semi-final in charge of the Premier County so brings a fresh outlook from the recent defeats at this stage for many of the players.

He also understands that the only thing you can do is persevere as he experienced with his native Clonoulty/Rossmore who were defeated in four successive county senior finals before they finally broke through in 2024.

“It wouldn’t be my place to come in and focus on what happened in the past. We can only go on what we see this year,” he said looking ahead to this Saturday’s clash with Cork.

“Every year with Tipp is kind of a new panel with some players coming in for the first time and some others coming back after injury so it does feel like a fresh panel and a fresh start for everyone.

“We haven’t been dwelling on the past at all, just focusing on every session and trying to get players into good form and we are happy with how they have progressed the last couple of weeks especially.

“It is just about being fully prepared for Cork on Saturday and embracing the occasion and the opportunity we have.”

Heffernan senses a steely determination within the group to fuel the recent semi-final disappointments into generating the best performance needed to get past Cork whom they are playing for the fourth time this season, including the round-robin clash in Thurles last month which the visitors won 0-21 to 0-18.

“That was a good performance from us considering we had been very poor the previous week against Waterford,” Heffernan recalls.

“We performed well that day without ever threatening to beat Cork which was a bit of a disappointment.

“We felt we have more in us with a few players to come back (Caoimhe McCarthy, Karen Kennedy and Caoimhe Stakelum were missing that day) but Cork will have a few back as well as Cork were probably timing their run to the semi-final whereas as we put a lot of emphasis on the league and the Munster Championship.

“We are familiar enough with Cork and we saw a big improvement in Cork between the league and Munster quarter final, and then in the All-Ireland Series they were a different proposition altogether so we are expecting an even better showing from Cork on Saturday so we have to be ready for that step up.”

Tipperary’s inability to win semi-finals has had a notable feature, not scoring enough as they scored 1-11 in each of the last three semi-final defeats and 0-12 in the semi-final before that so scoring 3-20 in the quarter final win over Clare was a timely confidence boost to the attack.

“You are definitely looking at the way camogie has gone now you have to be getting to twenty points minimum to win the big games,” Heffernan said.

“We have that capability and the scoring forwards with that threat, plus back the field as well, so it is about putting it together on the day.

“We also have to mind the house at the other end as well as if there is any team that is going to punish you at the back it is Cork as they probably have the most fearsome attack in the country so it will require a total team effort as the backs are only as good as the pressure being put on the ball up the field.”

The Tipperary manager says the panel have enjoyed a “very good build-up,” welcoming the three week gap after coming through a four game schedule in five weeks up to the quarter final.

However, the win over Clare came at a cost with Burgess/Duharra’s Caoimhe Maher sustaining a season-ending knee injury but the Tipp manager had paid tribute to her leadership since it happened.

“Caoimhe is a real leader within the group, well respected, and has a great knowledge of the game, a top class player. She had made the number six position her own. She will still be important this week in terms of being a leader,” he said.

Tipp were fortunate in that Clodagh Quirke has returned from a similar injury for the third time and got valuable game-time in the quarter final and will come into contention to start, as will Sarah Corcoran on the wing with Celine Guinan or captain Caoimhe McCarthy moving to the centre.

Tipperary also hope to have Karen Kennedy available who has not played since the Waterford game seven weeks ago after sustaining a calf injury, although the manager was reluctant to say whether she would be able to start or play a part off the subs bench, either of which would be a huge boost.