‘If you’re any way related to someone from Camross come to Croke Park’

WINNING manager Arien Delaney was lost for words when asked how it felt when the referee blew the full-time whistle and his side were bound for an All-Ireland final in Croke Park.

However, he paid tribute to the girls who have played for the club in the past and those who will in the future after Sunday’s victory.

“Sure, you can't describe it. Not in my lifetime did I see Camross getting to Croke Park. Well, maybe they did when I was a baby, but anyway, it's brilliant. For the girls themselves, they've never been there, it's a first, uncharted territory.

“To be honest with you, I'm so super, super happy for those ladies, not just those girls in that dressing room, but all the Camross ladies that have played camogie down through the years, that have come before and that are going to come again.

“It's a first and it's going to be a great day, win or lose for the club. What an occasion to look forward to. A couple of weeks’ time nearer to Christmas, and hopefully our Christmas comes early,” he said.

There wasn’t much between the sides at the break with only Erin Walsh’s second minute goal the difference. Delaney admitted he just told the girls to play the game on their terms, which they did as they started the half with 1-4 without reply.

“I just told them to be themselves because we were expecting a battle, and we got a battle. In fairness to Killimor, they were very, very good and very, very tough and they were tactically smart. We knew that coming in and we said we just have to battle through that. I said now, the battle is what we say, and we set the terms in the second-half.

“Then you really did see glimpses of the real Camross, not firing 100%, but that's a semi-final. The semi-final is there to be won, and we won, so we're happy,” Delaney said.

Camross had the luxury of having a two week lead-in before Sunday’s game as they went week-on-week once they won the Laois championship at the end of October.

“Oh, it was massive. They were able to go on the beer for two days. We’ll give them one day this time. We did a bit of recovery, and we went training. Not over and above because look there’s 23 girls. There's not a massive, big panel and we're just trying to avoid injuries just keep them ticking over. But the break was massive, you could see it in them all week. They were buzzing, you know what I mean? They were full of energy, which is great,” he added.

Croke Park is a place that some of the Camross players will have played in, but not all. Delaney reckons his team were born to play on the hallowed turf on Jones Road.

“These girls were born to play in Croke Park. We prepare like we always do, as best we possibly can, and we'll see what happens on the day. On the day it’s 50-50, a two-horse race. I saw Ballincollig in the Munster final, they were exceptional. We have a big challenge ahead of us and we know that, but at the same time, we're just going to enjoy today, and we'll worry about two weeks’ time tomorrow,” Delaney said.

There was a massive crowd from Camross in Trim GAA on Sunday and Delaney thanked them for their support. However, he wasn’t too happy with the decision to have the game in Trim in the first place.

“That's one thing that's really driving the group is we know the support we have and how everyone's got behind us. There are people young and oldm wearing black and amber coming into December.

“Just a little bugbear I have and I'm not going to let the day go without saying it. We've come up here to Trim, there's nothing wrong with Trim. It’s a fine pitch, fine grounds, everything 100%, but to take Killimor and Camross and put them on a bus for an hour and 40 minutes and then to ask our supporters to travel up. We'll travel to Belfast if it means to go and play a semi-final of an All-Ireland, 100%. But I'm not thinking about that, I'm thinking of our supporters. I think a bit of fairness and a bit of cop on would have been really, really more advised. But I couldn't let it go today without saying that. In fairness, that's why I'm full of admiration for our support, the way they've travelled here in numbers, which is brilliant,” he said.

Delaney is hoping that Camross supporters once again travel in numbers to Croke Park on Sunday 14 December.

“That's the plan. If you’re any way related to someone from Camross come to Croke Park and even if you’re not, come for the day out anyway,” he concluded.