‘Who would have thought we'd be back in Croke Park for the third time in a row?’ - Collier

LAOIS camogie captain Aimee Collier stood on the field in Glenisk O’Connor Park, Tullamore, on Saturday afternoon smiling from ear to ear after scoring eight points to help fire Laois into yet another All-Ireland final at Croke Park.

Saturday’s victory sends Laois back to Croke Park for the third year in succession. They lost the 2024 final to Tipperary before defeating Armagh in last year’s Premier Junior decider, and Collier admitted afterwards that it was difficult to find the words to describe the achievement.

“It's unbelievable. I don't think we can put it into words here. It's great here, standing around here with the support and the roar every time we got a score. It just really drove us on. Who would have thought we'd be back in Croke Park for the third time in a row?” she said.

Collier and the Camross contingent on the Laois panel will have played in Croke Park three times in the last year after guiding their club to All-Ireland Intermediate glory in December. Asked if Croke Park was beginning to feel like a second home, the Laois captain laughed off the suggestion.

“I wouldn't say that anyway. It's definitely a different story. It's great. We've been very lucky this year. It's gas between Camross and Laois last year. You’d have thought that's it for a while, and we have to weather the storm coming up into intermediate. I'm just absolutely delighted. We've always said we're intermediate grade and we 100% showed that today. There’s shocking resilience in the group; in both the first and second halves, Kerry started very strong. It looked like we were dead and buried, but the resilience is just unbelievable in this group,” Collier said.

There had been serious concern over Collier’s fitness after she was forced off with an injury in the quarter-final, but she was relieved to discover the damage was not as bad as first feared and was delighted to be able to play her part in Saturday’s victory.

“I was delighted. I thought it was bad news there the last day. I was fairly sure of it now, but I'm delighted all was okay. It's great to be a part of something like this,” she said.

Laois showed tremendous resilience throughout the contest after Kerry struck for a goal in the opening minute of both halves. Collier revealed that the squad had spoken beforehand about the importance of work rate in the sweltering conditions and felt that proved decisive.

“That's what this team is about. Whether it's going right for you or going wrong for you, everyone puts their head on the line. The work rate was unbelievable. It was such tough conditions to play in. The heat was tough, so it was. It was a credit to what we're about with the work rate. We said before we went out, whoever wins this match will be the one that's going to work the hardest and the one that's going to want the most. I'm just delighted that was us,” she added.

Laois now have three weeks to prepare for another All-Ireland final, but Collier admitted she still has not quite become accustomed to everything that comes with such an occasion.

“I don't know if I'm used to it now. You always have to enjoy these things with the kids and stuff and the supporters as well. It's nice to get back to Croke Park again for them too. You just take it in your stride; you don't let it get too much on you, of course. We'll look forward to the build-up anyway,” Collier said.

There was a superb Laois support in Tullamore on Saturday, and Collier believes they acted as the team's 16th player, helping them over the line in the closing stages. She is hoping for more of the same when Laois return to Croke Park in three weeks.

“It was unbelievable. Every time we scored, I couldn't get over the cheer we got. That's what drives you on. It’s that 16th player on the field. Especially in those last few minutes, you were dying slowly on your feet, and just to hear the roar to get you over the line was unbelievable. I hope the same will come to Croke Park now again,” she concluded.