The Cork Camogie team underwent a harrowing, rifle-wielding, miliatry-style overnight bonding trip to Spike Island this summer en route to a second consecutive All-Ireland Final.
Katrina Mackey from the Douglas club, told the Irish Examiner this week that players were told they were going on an adventure weekend on Spike Island which began with tea before the torture began.
It was horrendous. We had to trek around the island carrying rifles and sacks with rocks in them, weighing nearly 50kgs on our backs. We only had military ration packs, which we had to cook ourselves, and it was freezing in the tent. I'd seven jackets on and I still couldn't get warm
The attacking forward continued by saying that the purpose of the journey was to eradicate the huge age divisions in the team following the retirements of marquee players Anna Geary, Angela Walsh, Joanne Browne, Jennifer O’Leary and Sara Hayes. Mackey says:
The hard work stood to us. There’s such a gap in age between the older and younger girls, that trip definitely helped bring us together as a team.”
Despite suffering that degree of absenteeism, Cork have defied the odds to get back to the All-Ireland final to defend their title. And it's players like Katrina Mackey and her twin Pamela who mobilised the movement.
They’re irreplaceable. Players had to step up then because there was no option but to. The past year I think myself and Pamela have become leaders. It’s funny because we were one of the youngest 12 months ago, but that tells you a lot about the transition
Galway will provide the opposition in the final on Sunday, a team who have defeated Cork in their last two All-Ireland Final meetings.
