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
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
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
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
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
Aoife Norris
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
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
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
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
Age: 22
Occupation: Student (Masters of Education)
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
Pre Match Ritual: Listening to Music
Collette Dormer
Club: Barrow Rangers
Age: 31
Occupation: Architectural Technologist
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
Pre Match Ritual: None
Danielle Morrissey
Club: Conahy
Age: 19
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
Davina Tobin
Club: Emeralds
Age: 28
Occupation: Barber
Favourite Position: Left Half Back
Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: In Primary School
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
Pre Match Ritual: Always go home to see parents and family before I go play a match
Denise Gaule
Occupation: Building Services Engineer
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
Pre Match Ritual: A drop of Holy Water from my mam & listening to music
Edwina Keane
Age: 30
Occupation: Teacher/Farmer
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
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
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
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
Occupation: Fitness Instructor with TJ Reid Fitness
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
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
Kellyann Doyle
Occupation: Biomedical Engineering Student
Favourite Position: Midfield/Half Back
Earliest Memory of Playing Camogie: Playing in Community Games
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
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
Pre Match Ritual: Turn Up on Time!
Laura Hegarty
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
Pre Match Ritual: Listening to music on Spotify
Laura Murphy
Club: O'Loughlin Gaels
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
Laura Norris
Occupation: Talent Acquisition Specialist
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
Lucinda Gahan (captain)
Occupation: Psychiatric Nurse
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
Pre Match Ritual: Avoid distractions, have some quiet time and do some stretching
Lydia Fitzpatrick
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
Occupation: Early Childhood Practitioner
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!!
Woman I Look Up to Most: My Mother
Pre Match Ritual: Chatting on the bus, listening to a few songs
Michaela Kenneally
Occupation: Recruitment Operations Co-Ordinator
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
Pre Match Ritual: Have my gear packed evening before, get up early and have a few pucks
Michelle Teehan
Club: James Stephens
Occupation: Student Teacher
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!
Pre Match Ritual: Pack my bag and lay out my clothes for the day the night before a game
Miriam Bambrick
Occupation: Teacher
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
Miriam Walsh
Occupation: Early Childhood Practitioner
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.
Pre Match Ritual: Having the craic and listening to Meg Farrell sing the Rose of Mooncoin
Niamh Deely
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
Pre Match Ritual: Having a few pucks before leaving the house and listening to music
Noreen O’Keeffe
Club: Conahy Shamrocks
Occupation: Occupational Therapist
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
Occupation: Student Computer Science/Economics
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
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!