On the verge of history

Three years ago, Oliver O’Loughlin and Patrick Ryan, both playing members of Corofin GAA club, were persuaded to take charge of training the local intermediate camogie team.
On Sunday they will take charge of the side as they chase a place in the All-Ireland Junior Club Championship final. This is, without doubt, the biggest day to date in the history of the Clare club as they take on Tir na nÓg from Andersonstown in Belfast in the camogie semi-final at Corofin at 1pm.
“It’s a huge day for the club and to have it on our own pitch is tremendous, particularly as a major upgrading was carried out on our pitch at the beginning of the year,” Oliver O’Loughlin said this week.
He went on to explain that it was at the request of Carmel Tierney that he and Patrick Ryan agreed to conduct a few sessions three years ago and it just went from there.
“We have contested the intermediate final for the last three years and we got over the line this year. In our first season we lost to Bodyke and then we lost to Kilkishen last year but this year we got through, beating Truagh in the final,” O’Loughlin explained.
Having finally won the Clare title, Corofin found themselves in the Munster Junior Championship. In fact, they were straight into the Munster final where they came up against Cappoquin from Waterford.
“We struggled a little in the opening quarter but then we got on top and went on to score a good win, which has led to next Sunday’s game. We don’t know anything about the Antrim side,” admitted O’Loughlin.
For the record, Corofin were 2-12 to 1-4 winners over Cappoquin in the Munster final played at Cashel a few weeks back.
“We have a full squad from which to pick the team for Sunday’s game,” team mentor O’Loughlin confirmed.
“Training hasn’t been easy because of the fact that a lot of our players are based away from home. We will meet on Friday night when we hope to have the full squad back in Corofin ahead of Sunday’s game. As I said, it is great to have the game at home and we are looking forward to a big turnout. There were big attendances here earlier in the year when the county camogie side played some of their games in Corofin,” said O’Loughlin.
Claire Commane is based in Scotland and has been returning regularly for the games during the year. Marie Raftery is based in Belfast, while there are a number of players in a number of other counties across the country.
Team captain Aishling Kelleher will line out in attack while others that the Clare and Munster champions will be looking to include Claire Commane, an All-Ireland medal winner with Clare and county ladies football star, Niamh O’Dea. Commane was the team’s top scorer in their Munster final success when she contributed 0-8. The team on that occasion was: Carmel Tierney; Nessa Carkill, Lisa Clancy, Donna Courtney; Brenda O’Donoghue, Muireann Kelleher, Niamh Shannon; Edel Keating, Niamh O’Dea; Linda McMahon, Claire Commane, Aisling Kelleher (captain), Aoife Davoran, Marie Raftery, Caitriona McMahon while substitutes used were Siobhán Kelleher, Caitriona Kelleher, Maeve Davoran and Nicola O’Donoghue.
“Of course our aim is to win on Sunday and qualify for the All-Ireland final. It has never been done before by a Corofin team. The GAA club has been most supportive with facilities and we are all looking forward to a big attendance on Sunday.
“The village has been decorated in the red and white colours of the club ahead of Sunday’s game which has a throw in time of 1pm. It’s a game we are all looking forward to,” O’Loughlin admitted.
Home venue should certainly be a big advantage to the Clare champions but they cannot take the Antrim and Ulster champions lightly. Antrim have been prominent at inter county level in recent years and the expectation is that their representatives will provide stiff opposition for Corofin.
It promises to be a great occasion for the Clare club and at the end of the day, the Clare champions should be ahead and beginning preparations for a first ever All-Ireland final appearance.