Connaughton: ‘We have to be more clinical than 2019’
It will be a case of déjà-vu for most players and mentors from Raharney camogie club next Sunday in Templetuohy (2pm), when the Deelsiders try to avenge their All-Ireland junior final defeat of 2019 in the Covid-delayed 2020 decider against Clanmaurice, writes Gerry Buckley.
The same two managers who patrolled the sidelines for the draw and replay in Nenagh for the last final in the grade will do so again in five days’ time, with Padraic Connaughton continuing to wear the blue bainisteoir bib of his native Raharney.
When he spoke to this columnist last Sunday afternoon, Connaughton confirmed that he had been down the previous day to have a look at the pitch in the Co. Tipperary village (the home of Moyne Templetuohy GAA) where his troops will attempt to garner the precious silverware by dethroning the Kerry representatives.
“There was a huge crowd from Raharney two years ago in Nenagh. I don’t know whether Covid is going to affect whether some people may or may not travel, but we’re hoping for a big crowd to come down and support us,” Connaughton stated at the outset.
Reflecting on his side’s passage to the final, he opined: “The semi-final in Leinster was tight and the final was a bit of a non-event. In the All-Ireland semi-final, we underperformed to be honest (against Derry outfit Glen), but we’ve trained pretty hard since. We’ve trained five times since that match and we trained this morning. We’re just been working on small things. We know we have to improve because we’re playing a very strong team, but we’ll be confident going into it.”
He was delighted to add that “Fiona (Leavy) is back from her honeymoon and Megan Carroll is back from the UK. Also, Maria Kelly looks like she has shaken off her injury. We’ll be at full force as things stand but a week is a long time in sport, especially with Covid around. So we’re keeping our fingers crossed that we’re not affected by it. But if we are, we are, and we have a big panel to pick from.”
Unsurprisingly, when asked if he knew much about Clanmaurice, he responded: “I know plenty about them! I’ve tracked them closely and they’re basically the same as they were in 2019. If you look at their results, in essence they are the Kerry team. They’ve beaten some very good teams like the Tipperary seconds, and they’ve beaten them well.
“Antrim knocked them out of the championship, but Antrim went on to win the All-Ireland. I think we’ve learned from the defeat in 2019 and I think we have a more balanced squad than we had two years ago. We’ve introduced a few players and I think we are a pacier team than we were then. Now whether that suits winter camogie, we’ll find out on Sunday.”
The Deelside manager has been pleased with his charges’ strong fourth quarter displays when needed.
“When I look back on our performances in the Westmeath championship, and particularly the Leinster and All-Ireland semi-finals, we’ve outlasted teams. We rely on our fitness a lot, but I also think we’re more streetwise that we were two years ago,” he remarked.
“We have to be more clinical than we were in the replay in 2019. Nine points was a good gap but we did create the chances in that replay, and we just didn’t take them.
“If we get the chances in Templetuohy next Sunday, we simply have to take them. If we take them, we have a great chance. If we don’t take them, we’ll be in trouble.”
And does Connaughton expect the Doherty sisters to be holding aloft the All-Ireland junior ‘A’ cup next Sunday?
“Yes, I am hopeful as I think we have improved from 2019. We’ve needed a bit of luck along the way, but I say to the girls before every game that if we perform, it will take a good team to beat us. And if we perform next Sunday, we’ll be hard beaten,” he concluded.