Eye-opener for Sars and Stakelum
By Joe Scully
It was a disappointed Thurles Sarsfields camp following what was a chastening experience in the Munster Senior Club Camogie Championship semi-final on Sunday as St Finbarr’s blew them away in the second half.
It was a steep learning curve for the two-time Tipperary champions, and for manager Conor Stakelum there was a mixture of disappointment and pride in his team, as their year came to a crushing end.
“Any day that you’re playing a Munster club game against a side of the calibre of St Finbarr’s, it’s going to be tough, and we came up just short in the end, but no doubt they were the better side,” he began.
“We are disappointed with our second half display, but they are a quality side, and we now have a long winter of reflection ahead of us.
“But I am so proud of the girls to win back-to-back county titles, and to put in the performance they did today, we were unlucky to come up against a quality outfit in the Barr’s.”
Stakelum is hoping his side can take the lessons from Sunday’s game and bring them into 2027 with them.
“I spoke to the girls after the game, and while we are really disappointed, we are on a journey and after winning two county championships in-a-row, but as we found out today, Munster club is a completely different level again,” he said.
“Of course we are going to learn, the same way as that group had to learn to win a county championship. This group of players are very open to learning, and testament to the fact they are always improving, but today was just a bridge too far.”
For the Borrisoleigh native, it was still a good year for the club, winning back-to-back county titles.
“We are delighted with our year and while disappointed we didn’t win today, because we really wanted to put Tipperary club camogie on the map in terms of Munster club, but look that’s all in the past now.
“Come 2027 there will be another new championship coming and we will need to get the heads down once again and get going for another tilt at it all, and see where it leads us.”