Meet the Kilkenny players chasing camogie All-Ireland glory

Saturday promises to be a big day for the Kilkenny senior camogie team as they chase All-Ireland glory.

The Cats will take on defending champions Galway in the race for the O'Duffy Cup. Although the coronavirus means supporters can't attend the game, the action from Croke Park will be broadcast live on RTÉ 2 (throw-in 7pm).

Here are the players who will be bidding to win the county's 14th senior title:

Anna Farrell

Club: Thomastown

Age: 29

Occupation: Bank Official

Favourite Position: Midfield

Biggest Influence: My Mam and Dad

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Outside in the garden with all the relations

Most Memorable Achievement:  Winning my first Senior County Title with Thomastown

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Always practice and believe in yourself

Woman I Look up to most: Katie Taylor

Pre Match Ritual: Staying Relaxed

Anne Dalton

Club: St Lachtain's

Age: 32

Occupation: Bank Official

Favourite Position: Forwards

Biggest Influence: Karen Kelly

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Scoring a goal from one end of the drive to the other and wildly celebrating to the annoyance of my older sisters

Most Memorable Achievement:  Winning the 2016 All-Ireland Final

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Work Hard

Woman I Look up to most: Katie Taylor

Pre Match Ritual: Always pack chewing gum (or go look for Nicola/Breda to get some if I forgot!)

Aoife Doyle

Club: Piltown

Age: 20

Occupation: Student

Favourite Position: Midfield

Biggest Influence: My Dad

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Playing in Féile 2012

Most Memorable Achievement:  POTM in Leinster Minor Final

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Always have your Hurley in your hand

Woman I Look up to most: My Mam

Pre Match Ritual: Eat Pasta Chicken and put deep heat on my hamstrings and listen to my match playlist

Aobha O’Gorman

Club: Dicksboro

Age: 21

Occupation: Student

Favourite Position: Midfield

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Playing in U-10 Blitzes with the 'Boro

Most Memorable Achievement:  2013 Féile All Ireland Winners and 2019 Senior County Champions

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Enjoy the game

Woman I Look up to most: Rena Buckley

Pre Match Ritual: Pack gear bag the night before and get plenty of rest

Aoife Norris

Club: Piltown

Age: 21

Occupation: Student (PE & Maths)

Favourite Position: Goal

Biggest Influence: My Father

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Playing in U-10 blitz in Kilmacow

Most Memorable Achievement:  Winning Intermediate Club All-Ireland in 2015

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Work Hard, never give up & enjoy it

Woman I Look up to most: My Mother

Pre Match Ritual: Listening to Music amd putting my hair in a French Plait

Aoife Prendergast

Club: Dicksboro

Age: 24

Occupation: Student 

Favourite Position: Centre Back

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Training in James Park with a big round Mycro Helmet

Most Memorable Achievement:  Senior County Champions 2019

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Work as hard as you can and enjoy the game

Woman I Look up to most: Katie Taylor

Pre Match Ritual: Few pucks to get the eye in

Catherine Foley

Club: Windgap

Age: 25

Occupation: Microbiology Analyst

Favourite Position: Backs

Biggest Influence: My Parents 

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Playing in an U-6 Blitz for Windgap

Most Memorable Achievement:  Winning Purcell Cup with DIT

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: keep practicing your
weakest skill & just enjoy playing the game

Woman I Look up to most: My Mam - she's always helping and organising in anything that needs to be done in the club and the parish 

Pre Match Ritual: I’d always have a puckaround with the sister before leaving for a match

Ciara O’Shea

Club: Dicksboro

Age: 21

Occupation: Student

Favourite Position: Full Back

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Playing with U-6s with my club

Most Memorable Achievement: Captaining Loreto All Ireland winning team in 6th Year, County Senior Champions 2019

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Concentrate on doing the simple things right

Woman I Look up to most: Meg Farrell- Such a solid back – reads the game very well

Pre Match Ritual: Listen to music

Ciara Phelan

Club: Dicksboro

Age: 22

Occupation: Student (Masters of Education)

Favourite Position: Midfield

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Playing in Primary Schools with the Gaelscoil in Nowlan Park

Most Memorable Achievement: County Senior Champions 2019

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Always believe in yourself and practice practice practice!!

Woman I Look up to most: My Teammates

Pre Match Ritual: Listening to Music

Claire Phelan

Club: Lisdowney

Age: 26

Occupation: Primary School Teacher

Favourite Position: Half Back

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Playing at home with my brothers and going to Saturday morning training in Lisdowney 

Most Memorable Achievement:  Winning Senior All Ireland Final 2016

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Get out with the ball against the wall as much as possible

Woman I Look up to most: Katie Taylor

Pre Match Ritual: Listening to Music 

Collette Dormer

Club: Barrow Rangers

Age: 31

Occupation: Architectural Technologist

Favourite Position: Midfield

Biggest Influence: My Parents

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Primary Schools Final

Most Memorable Achievement:  Winning Senior  All Ireland 2016

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Practice, Practice, Practice

Woman I Look up to most: My Mam

Pre Match Ritual: None

Danielle Morrissey

Club: Conahy

Age: 19

Occupation: Student

Favourite Position: Centre Forward

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Playing with the boys on a Saturday morning 

Most Memorable Achievement:  Winning the Junior County Final

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Never forget to enjoy playing Camogie

Woman I Look up to most: Katie Taylor

Pre Match Ritual: Few pucks early that day

Davina Tobin

Club: Emeralds

Age: 28

Occupation: Barber

Favourite Position: Left Half Back

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: In Primary School

Most Memorable Achievement:  Winning the 2016 All-Ireland Final

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Just enjoy it, there will be tough training but when you win it's all worth while and even if you don’t you’ll make friends for life

Woman I Look up to most: My Mam

Pre Match Ritual: Always go home to see parents and family before I go play a match 

Denise Gaule

Club: Windgap

Age: 29

Occupation: Building Services Engineer

Favourite Position: Midfield

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Playing in the back garden with my Dad

Most Memorable Achievement:  Winning Senior All Ireland in 2016

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Try work on the skills you're weaker at

Woman I Look up to most: Ann Healy 

Pre Match Ritual: Holy Water from the father before I leave 

Edel Coonan

Club: St Martin's

Age: 23

Occupation: Dental Nurse

Favourite Position: Half Forward

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Pucking around in the garden with family

Most Memorable Achievement:  Winning All-Ireland Final 2016

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Never give up on your dream

Woman I Look up to most: My Mam

Pre Match Ritual: A drop of Holy Water from my mam & listening to music

Edwina Keane

Club: St Martin's

Age: 30

Occupation: Teacher/Farmer

Favourite Position: Backs

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: When I started playing our club didn't have an underage Camogie team so I played with the boys for a while

Most Memorable Achievement:  Winning All-Ireland Final 2016

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Practice at home on your own striking the ball off the wall using both sides, work on improving your first touch and catching the ball

Favourite Player to Watch: Meg Farrell

Pre Match Ritual: Up early, Pasta, listen to music and sip away on water

Emma Kavanagh

Club: Rower Inistioge

Age: 27

Occupation: Teacher

Favourite Position: Goalkeeper

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Soloing bean bags in U-6 training

Most Memorable Achievement:  Reaching All-Ireland Club Final 2013

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Practice, Practice, Practice

Woman I Look up to most: My Mam, Rita

Pre Match Ritual: Headphones in, bag packed the night before, a good night's sleep

Grace Walsh

Club: Tullaroan

Age: 27

Occupation: Nurse

Favourite Position: Wing Back

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Breda Maher bringing me off to play with a different club before we had our own set up

Most Memorable Achievement: Winning Club County Final

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Never stop practising. Camogie is a Hobby, it will never affect study so don’t give it up for that!!

Woman I Look up to most: My Mother—she's an absolute Queen and absolutely great Craic

Pre Match Ritual: Omelette from Frank the tank

Katie Nolan

Club: St Martin's

Age: 23

Occupation: Fitness Instructor with TJ Reid Fitness

Favourite Position: Centre Forward

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Going hurling training with the lads in St Martin's on a Saturday morning

Most Memorable Achievement:  Winning Intermediate All Ireland in 2016

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: If a match isn’t going your way work hard at it

Woman I Look up to most: Edwina Keane

Pre Match Ritual: Walking my dog and having my Weetabix the night before

Katie Power

Club: Piltown

Age: 28

Occupation: P.A/Receptionist Michael Lyng Motors/Fitness Instructor with TJ Reid Fitness

Favourite Position: Anywhere Midfield Up

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Breaking the windows at home and the fear afterwards!!!

Most Memorable Achievement: Winning All-Ireland Final 2016 and All-Ireland Intermediate Club Final 2015

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Practice as much as you can

Woman I Look up to most: Katie Taylor

Pre Match Ritual: None

Kellyann Doyle

Club: Piltown

Age: 23

Occupation: Biomedical Engineering Student

Favourite Position: Midfield/Half Back

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Playing in Community Games

Most Memorable Achievement:  Winning Intermediate Club All-Ireland in 2015

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Practice as much as you can whenever you can. Get confident striking the ball on both sides

Pre Match Ritual: Always get my mam to plait my hair, always have fruit pastilles with me. Few pucks at the wall morning of a match

Mary O’Connell

Club: Clara

Age: 24

Occupation: Teacher

Favourite Position: Half Back

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Trying to rise the ball 10 times in a row and it taking hours

Most Memorable Achievement:  Winning All Ireland Schools Final in Sixth Year with Pres

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Enjoy playing and make loads of friends along the way 

Woman I Look up to most: Katie Taylor

Pre Match Ritual: Turn Up on Time!

Laura Hegarty

Club: Lisdowney

Age: 24

Occupation: Student

Favourite Position: Wing Back

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Training with the Ballyragget boys

Most Memorable Achievement: Captaining the WIT Ashbourne Team

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Be confident and practice

Woman I Look up to most: Katie Taylor

Pre Match Ritual: Listening to music on Spotify

Laura Murphy

Club: O'Loughlin Gaels

Age: 23

Occupation: Teacher

Favourite Position: Midfield

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: In the back yard with my brother

Most Memorable Achievement: Junior County Club Champions 2018

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Practice your weak side

Woman I Look up to most: Katie Taylor

Pre Match Ritual: Listen to music

Laura Norris

Club: Piltown

Age: 27

Occupation: Talent Acquisition Specialist

Favourite Position: Midfield

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Playing in a blitz in Mooncoin

Most Memorable Achievement: Club All Ireland Intermediate Champions 2015

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Keep working hard and don’t give up

Woman I Look up to most: Katie Taylor

Pre Match Ritual: Gear ready night before

Lucinda Gahan (captain)

Club: Dicksboro

Age: 31

Occupation: Psychiatric Nurse

Favourite Position: Centre Forward

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Winning schools mini-sevens in football and camogie. Being picked to play at half time in Croke Park

Most Memorable Achievement: Captaining the All Ireland winning Minor Team  

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Enjoy the sport and don’t be too hard on yourself. Everyone makes mistakes, we are all human, just learn and move on. Stay Positive

Woman I Look up to most: Katie Taylor

Pre Match Ritual: Avoid distractions, have some quiet time and do some stretching 

Lydia Fitzpatrick

Club: St Lachtain's

Age: 25

Occupation: Teacher

Favourite Position: Midfield/Half Forward

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Pulling the shins off my brothers and sisters in the garden!

Most Memorable Achievement: Winning the first Senior Schools All Ireland with Loreto

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Enjoy the game, don’t over think it. When things aren’t going well, try and try again

Woman I Look up to most: Imelda Kennedy

Pre Match Ritual: Chicken and Pasta the night before, listen to music

Meg Farrell

Club: Thomastown

Age: 24

Occupation: Early Childhood Practitioner

Favourite Position: Midfield

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Primary School County Champions

Most Memorable Achievement: Definitely the first time winning the Senior County Final after we had been beaten for so many years and of course the 2016 All Ireland Final - they were the best ever!!

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Work Hard

Woman I Look Up to Most: My Mother

Pre Match Ritual: Chatting on the bus, listening to a few songs

Michaela Kenneally

Club: Windgap

Age: 23

Occupation: Recruitment Operations Co-Ordinator

Favourite Position: Half Forward

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Playing in Primary Schools

Most Memorable Achievement:  Winning Western Australia Championship 2016 and 2017

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Work Hard & stay committed

Woman I Look up to most: My Mam

Pre Match Ritual: Have my gear packed evening before, get up early and have a few pucks

Michelle Teehan

Club: James Stephens

Age: 21

Occupation: Student Teacher

Favourite Position: Wing Back

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Full forward for the Village U-12s

Most Memorable Achievement:  Winning All-Ireland Final 2016, All-Ireland Minor Final 2015 and Schools All Irelands 

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Express yourself and enjoy every minute of it!

Woman I Look up to most: My Mother

Pre Match Ritual: Pack my bag and lay out my clothes for the day the night before a game

Miriam Bambrick

Club: Barrow Rangers

Age: 23

Occupation: Teacher 

Favourite Position: Wing Back

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Down in the field in Paulstown playing U-4s, Peter Breen had us whipping a few tyres

Most Memorable Achievement:  Winning the Minor All-Ireland 2015

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Hard work beats talent, stay at it and make sure it's always enjoyable for you 

Woman I Look up to most: Orla Bambury

Pre Match Ritual: Listen to Gerry Cinnamon

Miriam Walsh

Club: Tullaroan

Age: 25

Occupation: Early Childhood Practitioner 

Favourite Position: Centre Forward

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Winning a Primary Schools Final

Most Memorable Achievement:  Captaining the winning All Ireland Senior Colleges with Loreto

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Enjoy it as the friends you make from it are lifetime. 

Woman I Look up to most: My Mother

Pre Match Ritual: Having the craic and listening to Meg Farrell sing the Rose of Mooncoin

Niamh Deely

Club: James Stephens

Age: 21

Occupation: Student

Favourite Position: Midfield

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Playing underage tournaments with the club in Nuncio Road

Most Memorable Achievement:  Winning Senior Colleges All Ireland with Loreto

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Work hard, dream big and believe

Woman I Look up to most: Katie Taylor

Pre Match Ritual: Having a few pucks before leaving the house and listening to music

Noreen O’Keeffe

Club: Conahy Shamrocks

Age: 31

Occupation: Occupational Therapist

Favourite Position: Full Back

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Playing ground hurling in the hall in Freshford with rubber-ended hurls!

Most Memorable Achievement:  Intermediate County Champions 2020

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Work hard, remember that we learn more from mistakes than the things we do well, don’t give up and believe in your own abilities

Woman I Look up to most: My Mam, Sheila

Pre Match Ritual: Sipping on a Lucozade

Sophie O’Dwyer

Club: James Stephens

Age: 21

Occupation: Student Computer Science/Economics

Favourite Position: Half Forward

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Playing underage blitzes at U-7 and U-10 with my club

Most Memorable Achievement:  Winning Senior Colleges All Ireland with Loreto in 2016

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Believe in yourself that you can reach your goals and constantly practice and improve

Pre Match Ritual: Listen to Music

Steffi Fitzgerald

Club: Young Irelands

Age: 20

Occupation: Student

Favourite Position: Centre Forward

Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Pucking around in the garden with my family and underage coaching in Gowran on a Monday evening

Most Memorable Achievement:  Captaining the Minor Club team to Roinn A County Final, winning the Intermediate County Final in 2018 and all the All-Irelands I've won with Loreto

Advice You Would Give to a Young Camóg: Never doubt yourself, always work hard as work rate always beats talent and dream big!

Woman I Look up to most: My Mam

Pre Match Ritual: Listen to music